Hertfordshire Landscape Character Area Statements

St Albans District

This document collates all the district-scale Landscape Character Area Statements that apply to the St Albans District. The statements were produced as part of the "Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment" undertaken between 2000 & 2005.

The full collation of published local authority landscape character statements in Hertfordshire can be found on Hertfordshire County Councils website: http://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/leisculture/heritage1/landscape/hlca/lcacoll/

Landscape Character Area Statements:

 Introduction to Landscape Character Statements  Area 009 - Bedmond Plateau  Area 010 - St Stephen's Plateau  Area 017 - Ver Colne River Valley  Area 018 - Bricket Wood  Area 019 - Vale of St Albans  Area 021 - High Canons Valleys & Ridges  Area 028 - North Mymms Park & Redwell Woods  Area 030 - Colney Heath Farmland  Area 031 - De Havilland Plain (no longer representative)  Area 032 - Symonshyde Ridge  Area 033 - Upper Lea Valley  Area 034 - Blackmore End Plateau  Area 035 - Ayot St Peter Wooded Upland  Area 094 - Buncefield Plateau  Area 095 - Revel End Plateau  Area 096 - Upper Ver valley  Area 097 - Gorhambury Estate  Area 098 - Verulamium  Area 099 - Rothamsted Plateau & Kinsbourne Green  Area 100 - Harpenden Common  Area 101 - Childwick Plateau  Area 102 - Ayres End Valleys & Ridges  Area 103 - Nomansland Common  Area 104 - Thrales End Plateau  Area 200 - Peters Green Plateau (NHDC)  Area 201 - Kimpton and Whiteway Bottom (NHDC)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background In February 2000 Hertfordshire County Council commissioned The Landscape Partnership to undertake the preparation of a 'local authority scale' landscape character assessment and evaluation of the southern part of the county in accordance with the most current version of national guidance, with stakeholder input, and co-ordinated with existing landscape characterisations. The characterisation work was to enable a definitive classification of all landscape types and boundaries encountered to be made, for the purposes of • advising on development control and policy development for future development plans, and • providing a framework for other landscape planning, regulation, conservation and management activities in the county. In 2001 an extension to the above Landscape Character Assessment was carried out to give full coverage within St. Albans District. In February 2002 a further extension was agreed to provide complete coverage of Dacorum District, which • Figure 01 previously had limited geographical representation. This The Character of England volume therefore comprises Part 2 of Volume 3 © Countryside i.e. the Landscape Character Assesssment Commission/ for Dacorum District. For the purpose of providing English Nature a complete district wide assessment a number of the character descriptions from the previous studies are also included within this document.

1.2 Context The process of landscape characterisation and assessment has been spearheaded in England by the work of the Countryside Agency (formerly Countryside Commission) and is currently enshrined as a major planning tool in PPG7. In tandem with English Nature, parallel approaches were formulated and tested during 1995-97 to derive, on the one hand, a series of Natural Area profiles for the whole of England and, on the other, the Countryside Character profiles. While the Natural Area profiles highlighted the distinctive ecology of rural areas, the Countryside Character profiles analysed landscape character in fairly broad-brush terms via the assessment of physical influences, historic and cultural influences, buildings and settlement, land cover and changes in the landscape. Through this process 120 Natural Areas and 181 character areas were formulated and a joint map published, called ‘The Character of England: landscape, wildlife and natural features’ (see Figure 01). This map defines the county of Hertfordshire as lying within six Character Areas:

• Area 86 South Suffolk and North Essex Clayland • Area 87 East Anglian Chalk • Area 88 Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands • Area 110 Chilterns • Area 111 Northern Thames Basin • Area 115 Thames Valley

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Hertfordshire Structure Plan Review adopted in April 1998 embraced the concept of landscape character assessment (see para 392 et seq.) and refers to Volume 1 of A Landscape Strategy for Hertfordshire, which was published as background information in 1998. This first document identifies six regions within Hertfordshire. The present document for Dacorum District (Volume 3 Part 2) falls within the following regions :

• Region 1: The Northern Vale Salients • Region 2: The Chilterns

These two regions also correspond to Areas 88 and 110 from the Character Map of England.

• Figure 02 Landscape Regions of Hertfordshire © Hertfordshire County Council

Region 1: The Northern Vale Salients. Region 4: The East Hertfordshire Plateau. A transition zone between the Chilterns scarp face and the (The South Suffolk and North Essex Clay Lands). adjacent open plains (Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire).

Region 2: The Chilterns. Region 5: The Central River Valleys. A sub-section of the Northern Thames Basin.

Region 3: The East Anglian Chalk (North Hertfordshire Ridge). Region 6: The South Hertfordshire Plateau. A sub-section of the Chilterns. A sub-section of the Northern Thames Basin.

Within these broad categories there are physical and This study revisits the general landscape features of the cultural features that serve to distinguish sub-divisions county covered in the first volume of the Strategy before within each area. Some of these divisions are not before providing a detailed description, assessment and immediately obvious and require analysis of the basic evaluation of each Landscape Character Area covered by landscape components and their relationship to each other. the scope of this study. A single character area may contain different landscape types that combine to give it a unique character. Recent change within a landscape area may suggest a difference of character that is in fact superficial. Logical and consistent observation and analysis was therefore used to derive 30 Landscape Character Areas, as described in this report. Each character area is distinct. One of the intentions of this study is to highlight, conserve and reinforce this distinctiveness.

pg 2 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment 2.0 GENERAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES OF HERTFORDSHIRE

2.1 PHYSICAL INFLUENCES Today the soils within the county are of two kinds: alkaline 2.1.1 Geology and Soils or neutral chalky soil (boulder clay) in the north and east of Hertfordshire is not old in geological terms. Its base stratum the county; and more or less acid leached soils over the is heavy blue-grey gault clay, which forms an impermeable centre and west of the county. These two soil types, which layer beneath the chalk, whose outward expression is best divide the county very roughly along a north-west/south- seen in the Chilterns, in the north west of the county. Over east line between Stevenage/Hitchin and Ware/Hoddesdon, the chalk a thin layer of clays, sands and pebbles - the have had a defining impact on vegetation, agriculture and Reading Beds - was then deposited. In the south-eastern development - that is, on fundamental aspects of the part of the county (Rickmansworth to Bishop's Stortford) a landscape character of the county. The light chalky soils of layer of thick London clay was later laid down. Still later the north west were easily cultivated, if not particularly (about 200,000 years ago during the last Ice Age) glaciers fertile, and were possibly never heavily wooded in any moved southwards over the chalk, depositing 'drift' - layers event. Cultivation of the boulder clay seems to have been of broken rock from the areas further north over which the intense in the early medieval period, especially on sloping glacier had passed, which were then left behind as it land where drainage could be more easily achieved. melted. This is the chalky boulder clay found in the north- eastern part of the county. In the west of the county, where On the heavy, poorly-drained London clay, south east of a there were no glaciers, a natural weathering process line drawn roughly between Rickmansworth and Hertford, produced the 'clay-with-flints' - a clay deposit containing via Hatfield, cultivation proved very difficult, so it was long frost-shattered flints and pebbles from the Reading Beds. left to support oak and hornbeam forest and pasture. There Glaciation had one other significant impact on the county's is very little arable farming and, until comparatively geology - the proto-Thames. During the last Ice Age what recently, little settlement. North and west of this area lie the is now the Vale of St Albans was the valley of a much larger Lea and Colne gravel regions. The river diversion mentioned Thames, with lakes at Wheathampstead and St Albans. above left rich gravel deposits in the old Thames valley, Eventually the Thames cut itself a new valley further south which provided better-drained, more accessible routes and, when the ice melted, the earlier valley formed the Lea through the county than the forested clays. Settlements and Colne rivers. grew up in these valleys, and most of the modern towns in Hertfordshire are on these gravels. The river valleys are therefore the areas most heavily affected by human interference, settlement throughout the centuries and, more recently, transport routes and gravel extraction.

Within DacorumDistrict there are 3 main soil types; Stagnogley Soils in the Vale of Aylesbury to the north west; Redzinas around the Chiltern scarp slopes and Paleo agrillic brown earths on the Chilterns dip slopes.

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 3 2.0 GENERAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES OF HERTFORDSHIRE

• Figure 04 Soils © Hertfordshire County Council

RENDZINAS: Associated - Brown Calcareous earths and PALEO ARGILLIC BROWN EARTHS: Associated - Brown argillic or paleo-argillic earths. Parent material: Chalk and calcareous earths and argillic brown earths. Parent material: associated drift. Character: Well drained, shallow chalky soils, Plateau drifts (clay with flints) and associated drift over chalk. with deeper loamy or clayey/flinty soils. Character: Deep well drained to moderately well drained loamy (usually silty) over clayey or occasionally clayey soils with associated less clayey or calcareous soils.

STAGNOGLEY SOILS: Associated - Calcareous pelosols and CALCAREOUS PELOSOLS: Associated - Stagnogley soils and brown earths and brown earth. Parent material: Jurassic or argillic brown earths. Parent material: Chalky glacial drift. cretaceous clay and associated drift. Character clayey soils Character: Slowly permeable, well structured, calcareous clayey and non-calcareous loamy or loamy over clayey soils. soils, associated with non calcareous clayey soils with impeded drainage or less clayey better drained soils, often stony.

BROWN EARTHS: Associated - Argillic brown earths and PALEO ARGILLIC BROWN EARTHS: Associated - Argillic brown alluvial gley soils. Parent material: River-terrace drift and earths and stagnogley soils. Parent material: Glacial, associated alluvium. Character: Deep or moderately deep, glaciofluvial or river-terrace drift and associated brick earth. well-drained loam soils, locally shallow over gravel, associated Character: Deep well-drained to moderately well-drained with clayey or loamy soils with high ground water. loamy (often silty) or loamy over clayey soils, usually stony and locally shallow over gravel. Associated with loamy over clayey soils with impeded drainage.

STAGNOGLEY SOILS: Associated - Argillic brown earths or ARGILLIC BROWN EARTHS: Associated: Paleo argillic brown brown earths. Parent material: Cretaceous or Tertiary clay and earths and alluvial gley soils. Parent material: river-terrace drift, associated drift. Character: Clayey or loamy over clayey soils brick earth and associated alluvium. Character: Deep well- with impeded drainage, associated locally with better-drained drained loamy (often silty) soils, locally stony or shallow over mainly loamy soils. gravel, associated with poorly-drained and clayey soils with high ground water.

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2.1.2 Topography Hertfordshire contains three upland areas: the southern upland area of London clay; the north-east upland area of boulder clay; and the western chalk/clay-with-flints uplands. The latter of the threeareas falls within Dacorum District and represents the maximum elevations within the county on the Chiltern Hills. The upland areas are divided by a number of river valleys and lowland areas. The valleys of the Colne, Lea and Stort form a broad belt from Rickmansworth to Ware, curving round to Bishops Stortford. The north-eastern and western uplands are divided by a narrow belt of lower ground stretching from Hitchin through Stevenage to Ware. The central river valleys including the Lea are generally shallow while to the west within Dacorum District the Gade and Bulbourne river valleys are more pronounced. On the boulder clay of the north east the rivers are deeply incised, often within very narrow valleys of no great length.

Contour lines in metres above sea level

10 - 60

60 - 90

90 - 120

120 -170

170 - 260

• Figure 05 Topography © Hertfordshire County Council © Crown copyright reserved. All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council LA076678 2003

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 5 2.0 GENERAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES OF HERTFORDSHIRE

2.2 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Gorhambury, Knebworth and Theobalds. The parks 2.2.1 History associated with these houses were increasingly ornamental Early activity in the county was focused on the river valleys as well as functional. Status was an important motivator and the lighter gravel soils, especially around the proto- here and the gardens at Theobalds, created under James I, Thames, although it may have been limited by swamplands. became very influential. Morden, writing in 1704, stated: Significant areas of woodland were cleared from the mid to 'This County has an incredible number of Pallaces and fair late Bronze Age onwards. This process accelerated during Structures of the gentry and Nobility...The rich Soil and the Iron Age and was nearly complete by the Roman wholesome Air, and the excellence of the County, have period. drawn hither the Wealthiest Citizens of London.' (R. Morden, The New Description and State of England, 2nd Following an intense period of development during the late edn. (1704), p.71). Iron Age, the Roman occupation had a strong impact on the landscape, linked to the development of existing Hertfordshire's links with the London commercial centre settlements at Verulamium, (now St Albans), Welwyn, grew in importance and there emerged a stronger radial Braughing and Ware and the roads between these and force within the developing geography. Development was other strategic locations. This was combined with 'industrial' not consistent or uniform, with buildings constructed, activity at Berkhamsted and Verulamium and large-scale tile altered, destroyed and rebuilt, lands emparked and later and pottery production, using local materials, at Elstree, disemparked, and great houses built and later abandoned. Radlett, Bricket Wood and Verulamium. Many villas were This process continued throughout the following centuries built in Hertfordshire and the villa of Gorhambury, for and is still evident today. As Lionel Munby remarked, 'the example, shows evidence of the use of the landscape for surviving parks are among the most beautiful places in recreational purposes, in that there was probably a covered Hertfordshire', and Hertfordshire is often the first move out walkway and an avenue of trees and shrubs. to 'the country' for many Londoners.

The division of the country under Danelaw (the frontier ran Hertfordshire shares much in common with other Home approximately north west to south east across the county) led Counties in its pattern of development from the 17th to a divergence in settlement patterns and associated century onwards, although the construction of the New landscape management. Evidence can be found in the pattern River in the Lea Valley to supply London with water was of place names and the contrast between villages and greens notable. As elsewhere, lands were enclosed, creating the in the east and larger areas of commonland in the west. regular patchwork pattern of much of the landscape, and communications improved as canals, roads and later The Normans built castles at strategic locations: Great railways were built, most often along the river valleys. Town Berkhamsted (guarding the Tring gap), Hertford (at the growth was slow, but for a time in the 19th century the confluence of several rivers with the Lea) and Waytemore scale of malting and brewing, and associated cereal (the Bishop of London's stronghold at Bishop's Stortford). growing in eastern Hertfordshire made it one of the largest These were superimposed on an already well-settled centres of the industry in western Europe. landscape; by the time of the Domesday Book there were 168 settlements recorded for Hertfordshire, the majority in 2.2.2 Buildings and settlement the north east. Medieval farming practices developed and Since the middle of the 19th century there has been a the Abbey of St Albans, a major landowner, continued to major change in the landscape of the county. Until then it have a widespread influence on land management. Hunting had no useable natural resources on which to base an parks, more for food than ornament, became major Industrial Revolution (see transport section below). The features in the landscape in the medieval period and development of modern Portland cement in 1900 made Hertfordshire probably has a higher density than any other reinforced concrete viable, using the gravel deposits of the county. Relic features from these are still present today in proto-Thames basin, with consequent effect on the local several areas landscape. The arrival of the railway provided a focus for new settlements around stations and the development of The Plague of 1348 reduced the rural population and a light industry. Hertfordshire became a commuter belt; free number of the villages and lands around were abandoned, first-class railway tickets were handed out to purchasers of especially in the north and east of the county. the houses in the new garden cities. The development of the New Towns after WWII increased the demand for local On the Dissolution of the Monasteries, much of the land gravels and perpetuates a seemingly natural division in the confiscated by the Crown from St Albans Abbey was county. Most construction within the last century and a half conveyed to courtiers and businessmen, all keen for status has been in the southern and south-western parts of the and a healthy retreat from the capital. This change in county, while the north east, which was the most populated ownership accounts for a growth in country-house building during the medieval period, remains sparsely populated and in the mid-16th century, for example at Cassiobury, rural. This is probably the most obvious pattern in the landscape of the county.

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2.3 TRANSPORT 2.3.2 Rivers 2.3.1 Roads The rivers have always been important transport routes, not The prehistoric routes in the county are notable for their least because of the poor state of the roads, which on the continuity. They result from topography and geology, London clay became impassable in wet weather until the following the chalk scarp and the river valleys. The Romans use of tarmacadam became widespread in the 19th century. then constructed radial routes from their Thames crossing- The rivers provided the only industrial focus, with place, which became Londinium. Their main roads went overlapping uses for the watermills as technology through the Tring Gap (Akeman Street), through advanced. Flour production until the 16th century was Verulamium (Watling Street) and up the Lea Valley (Ermine contemporary with wool fulling (12th - 17th centuries) and Street). Other roads connected the towns to each other. paper milling (15th - 19th centuries), with malting from the Puckeridge, for example, became a nexus of roads, on the 17th to the 19th centuries. At Hertford there was even a route between Colchester and Sandy. mill for grinding oak bark for tanning in the early 19th century. The river Lea linked the rich grain-producing lands The poor state of roads through the county demanded of the north east and adjoining counties to the insatiable significant financial input - the first successful toll-house in markets in London, its continuous programme of the country was at Wadesmill. A parallel system of drove improvements regulated by Act of Parliament. The Lea roads - used for animals rather than vehicles - is still partly Navigation canal and lock system is today part of the visible in the green lanes and footpaths, often with the Regional Park and used for recreation rather than transport. name 'green', 'travellers' or 'bull' attached. It is recorded that An aqueduct was constructed in 1609 to carry unpolluted in 1766, 992,400 head of beef cattle were driven to water from Amwell to Stoke Newington, a distance of some Smithfield, many of them through Hertfordshire, so these 20 miles. This too is still a visible landscape feature (the tracks were an important part of the transport network. New River) and a unique industrial relic, while the canal Only in the 19th century was there a significant system to the west - the Grand Union Canal - is also used improvement in the county's roads - due chiefly to the now for recreational purposes and has become in places a efforts of John and James McAdam, sometime Hoddesdon notable landscape feature. residents. 2.3.3 Railways The late-19th and 20th century growth of settlements in Like the road system, the railway spread in a radial pattern the county entailed a massive change in the road system, from the capital. The London and Birmingham Railway with ever more elaborate routes radiating out from London, followed the route of the Grand Junction Canal up the Tring compounded by the exceptionally high rate of car valley. Its builders encountered similar problems with ownership in the county. One of the first bypasses in the landowners to those of the canal builders - but railways county opened in 1928, round Welwyn. In 1959 the first 'cannot easily be turned into a landscape improvement'. The motorway, the M1, was built through Hertfordshire. Now a most obvious industrial relic in the county is the Digswell long section of the M25 and an upgraded A1(M) are Viaduct - 475m long and over 30m high, constructed to included, the former the first non-traditional route since the avoid the parks of the gentry in the Mimram valley. Roman occupation.

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 7 2.0 GENERAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES OF HERTFORDSHIRE

2.4 LAND COVER AND LAND USE Country house building took place in waves: pre-1580 and Hertfordshire is an enclosed county. Sir John Parnell, writing between 1640s and 1660, with a lot of 'improvements' in 1769, called it 'a most exquisitely Beautifull cultivated between 1680 and 1720. Another building boom took Hedgerow'ed country', while Walker described it in 1785 place between 1750 and 1780. The fashionable site for a thus: 'The land is generally inclosed, though there are many country house changed, from proximity to remoteness, small common fields, or lands, laying intermixed in small from hilltops to near water, with four grand houses built pieces, the property of different persons, which are along the Mimram valley in the 18th century. But parklands cultivated nearly in the same way as inclosed lands; the could be destroyed even more quickly than they were large common fields lie towards Cambridgeshire.’ (Quoted made. The opportunities for profitable farming were such in Munby, The Hertfordshire Landscape (1977)). that medieval parkland was ploughed up whenever there was no permanent resident on the estate. Some parklands Agriculture was the dominant source of employment. were first wooded, then cleared for farming, returned to Additional factors were market gardening on the fertile open woodland as a deer park and then cleared and alluvial land between Hoddesdon and Wormley and on the ploughed for farmland once again. In the 20th century the eastern side of the Lea valley and forest industries in the greatest threats to parkland were from housing north-west and south. Patten and clog makers, coopers and development, the transport infrastructure and mineral stavemakers all used wood, and other woodland products extraction, whereas arable farming of former wood pasture included shovels, spoons, bowls and other 'hollow wares'. at least retains woodland boundaries and the outline of the Significant and ecologically valuable areas of woodland park. remain, especially on the heavy London clay which is unfit for arable cultivation. Both woodland and hedges were an important part of the rural economy as well as of its landscape: 'I know of no part of England more beautiful in its stile than Hertfordshire: thro'out the oak and Elm hedgerows Appear Rather the work of Nature than Plantation, generally Extending thirty or forty feet Broad, growing irregularly in these stripes, and giving the fields the air of being reclaimed from a general tract of woodland.’ (Thomas Fuller, The Worthies of England, ed. J. Freeman (1952), p.229).

Parliamentary enclosure was the last major transformation of the rural landscape before the ploughing-out of hedgerows of the mid-20th century. In the south and west, where piecemeal enclosure had already transformed the arable, enclosure was largely of the surviving commons. In the early 1960s some 5500 acres were common, almost all of it in the west of the county. In the north and north east enclosure was of open arable fields, generally after the General Act of 1845. Thus the present landscape of this part of the county has now, after the impact of 20th century arable intensification, largely reverted to its pre- enclosure pattern.

Before 1900 the major impact on the landscape other than agriculture was parkland. The gentry of Hertfordshire were pioneer gardeners, laying out a new landscape as a frame for the house and as a status symbol in its own right. Lord Burghley built himself a palace at Theobalds in 1564. His son, Robert Cecil, spent £40,000 on building Hatfield House and rearranged the entire landscape to give himself more privacy. Woodland and arable were switched around on a grand scale. Today there are still almost no views into the parkland from outside.

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3.1 TERMS OF REFERENCE 3.2.2 Level 2: Physiography and Soils (scale 1:50,000). The guiding principles and format for the Hertfordshire The following subjects were considered and a relevant Landscape Strategy Volume 3 Part 2: Landscape Character category identified: Assessment, Evaluation and Guidelines for Dacorum District Topography Geology are set out in the following documents: Flat - F Fluvial-glacial and river drift - F • Landscape Character Assessment in connection with Low-lying - L Till (glacial drift) - T Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan Review, Contract Rolling/undulating - R Clay - C Documents - Appendix A Landscape Character Valley - V Limestone/chalk - L Assessment : Brief (Hertfordshire County Council, Sloping - S Mixed - M Environment Department). Upstanding/plateau - U • Landscape Character Assessment in connection with Soils Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan Review Contract - Sandy brown soils - S Appendix A Landscape Character Assessment: Brown free-draining soils - B Methodology Specification (Hertfordshire County Council, Clay soils - C Environment Department). Gleyed (poorly draining) soils - G • Landscape Character Assessment - Guidance for England Mixed soils - M and Scotland 2002 (Countryside Agency). The study area was divided into units based on a • Summary Specification for Extensions to Landscape combination of the above three factors and a combined Strategy from Hertfordshire County Council dated coding given, e.g. VLB denotes a limestone/chalk valley with 10/1/02. brown free-draining soils. The key elements of the method used in the study, incorporating the above guidance, are set out below. 3.2.3 Level 2: Cultural Pattern (scale 1:50,000). To the physiographic pattern the way that man has utilised 3.1.1 Briefing and Familiarisation Tour the land, or the 'cultural pattern', was then added using the Following the award of the contract , an initial briefing following categories: meeting was held between the Contract Manager, staff of Land Cover Settlement Pattern Dacorum District Council and key members of the project Urban - U Nucleated - N team to discuss the project brief and programme. A Cropland - C Settled - S familiarisation tour of the study area preceded the above Pastoral - P Dispersed - D meeting to gain a flavour of the range of landscape types Rough - R Unsettled - U involved. Planned - P Enclosure Pattern 3.1.2 Project Administration Wooded - W Secondary - S The project was monitored throughout the contract period Estate - E Open - O by the County Council’s Head of Landscape in liason with a Unenclosed - U Boundary trees - A representative from DacorumDistrict Council. Monitoring A separate three-letter code was then given to each LDU to included the use of the following: express cultural pattern. This may have led to some sub- • progress meetings division of the physiographic units. • liaison by phone • work programme - consultant to provide and update a 3.2.4 Level 3: Land Cover Coding (scale 1:25,000). work plan identifying the main activities against the This level of detail was derived from the historic landscape contract period characterisation information made available digitally through • correspondence - by letter, fax and e-mail the English Heritage project undertaken for Hertfordshire in 2000. This information provided a further level of resolution 3.2 DESK STUDY and sub-division of the LDUs.The following categories were The initial desk study work was sub-contracted to The Living given: Landscapes Project, following guidance in the brief. This Current Land Cover Historic Field Pattern stage involved the division of the study area into a number Urban - U Irregular - I of Landscape Description Units or LDUs and involved Woodland - W Sub-regular - S consideration of the following levels of detail. Parkland - Pk Regular - R Rough - R Geometric - G 3.2.1 Level 1 Disturbed - D Unenclosed - U Subdivision at a national/regional scale in accordance with Other - O the Joint Character Map of England combining both Field Size Landscape Character Regions and Natural Areas. Small - 1 This information provided a framework for analysis at a finer Small-medium - 2 grain: levels 2 and 3. Medium-large - 3 Large - 4

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 9 3.0 METHODOLOGY

A glossary of the terms used by The Living Landscapes audience/reader and more defensible within the local Project is included as Appendix 6.1. authority planning process. However, in a limited number of The above data was collated as a series of overlays suitable situations there was no clear line on the ground. In these for reading against a 1:25,000 scale OS base. instances boundaries were drawn either along a contour line (where there is break in slope reasonably clearly visible in 3.3 FIELDWORK the field), or as a straight line between two fixed features. 3.3.1 Fieldwork The fieldwork was carried out between May and August 3.5.3 The boundaries arising from the foregoing methodology 2002. Each survey team consisted of a team of two, were also reviewed against previous studies involving aspects of including a landscape architect, who was responsible for landscape character assessment including the Chilterns AONB drafting the text and defining the boundaries of each and Landscape Conservation Areas (as defined by local landscape character area surveyed, and another landscape- authorities). Where possible, and particularly where there were related professional. The total survey team included a total only marginal variations, the boundaries established for this of three people with qualifications from a variety of study were amended to match those previously defined. disciplines including geography, landscape architecture and However, due to the different methodologies utilised, this was landscape management. A moderation process was built in, not always possible without compromising the integrity of this to ensure consistency of appraisal across both the study study. Furthermore the process was made more difficult where area and the previous studies for Southern Hertfordshire in two different boundary lines were already present in a given 2000 and St. Albans District in 2001. area. This landscape character assessment followed best practice as defined in the methodology available at the time (Landscape 3.3.2 Recording Character Assessment -Guidance for England and Scotland Each study area was systematically appraised by a survey (2002), published by The Countryside Agency), as suitable for team, who considered each LDU in turn. Field survey record the scale of study involved and as the most effective criteria of sheets were used to record data. A sample of the two-page boundary definition. pro forma used is included as Appendix 6.2. The form was updated from that used in previous studies to allow for 3.5.4 It should be clearly understood that although the greater transparency in the completion of the Evaluation drawing of boundary lines on a plan is an inevitable part of Matrix. The use of forms was supplemented by additional the process, this does not always mean that landscape notes and photographic records. Both notes and character is dramatically different to either side of each and photographs informed the process of drafting a description every line. Landscape character can suddenly change, e.g. of and illustrating each character area in the final report. at the interface of an historic parkland, at the foot of a steep scarp slope or at a settlement edge, but generally 3.4 LITERATURE REVIEW there is often a more gradual transition. In such cases the In parallel with the desk study and fieldwork a literature boundary line marks more a watershed of character, where review was carried out. This provided background the balance of the defining elements has shifted from one information and informed the process of defining character landscape type to another. areas. The methodology specification in the contract documents provided an important list of suggested sources. This should be understood when viewing the GIS version of This was supplemented by a number of other source the landscape character areas, as the lines are digitised materials. The Bibliography, section 5.0, lists all the sources against a 1:10,000 base and at a scale of accuracy of used. c.1:2,000. This level of detail suggests that a decision has been made about which side of a road defines a change in 3.5 DRAFT LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS landscape character and whether one particular house is 3.5.1 Draft Landscape Character Areas were defined, using included in an area or not. In practice a reasonable decision the survey data from the fieldwork. This process involved has been made on the basis of the available OS data, identifying which LDUs were character areas in their own existing boundary information and the fieldwork data and right and those which required aggregating or splitting on survey sheets, but will be subject to change over time and the basis of consistent landscape character as identified in the cannot in every instance be regarded as definitive, but field. rather as indicative of a transition.

3.5.2 The definition of boundaries required careful consideration. As the LDUs had been defined primarily on the basis of geology, soils or landform the boundaries, although real, rarely accorded with fixed features on the ground, such as the edge of a woodland or a road or track. In defining boundaries for each character area, a decision was made to follow an identifiable feature visible on the ground wherever possible. It was considered that this approach would be both more comprehensible to a lay pg 10 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment 3.0 METHODOLOGY

3.6 STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT to have confidence that landscape areas identified as An important part of the process of landscape character distinctive are indeed representative of community assessment in this study was the involvement of the local preferences. Where the current consultation may fall short community. The details, results and further implications of is in not always identifying some of the minor valued the process are set out more fully in a supplementary landscapes. This view is supported by sensitivity analysis report. The key elements involved are set out below: undertaken during previous studies. It is therefore suggested that a further round of community consultation, 3.6.1 Tier A - Community of Interest e.g. as part of the Local Plan process would be beneficial to This group included 97 different authorities and societies ensure that no areas are unfairly described as having no or with a professional, statutory or local interest in the process, very little community support. including most of those that had been involved in similar previous studies. Those who registered an interest in 3.7 REPORT FORMAT receiving further information were then sent draft area Following the receipt of inputs from the stakeholders and boundaries, draft text of the Summary Page and invited to continuing literature review, the landscape character a meeting on 22 July 2002 at Dacorum District Council descriptions were developed into a final form. A consistent Offices. At this meeting attendees received a presentation pattern was used to describe each of the 30 character areas on the background to Landscape Character Assessment and that emerged. This took the form of a nominal fourto five details of the process underway within Dacorum District. pages of text and illustrations as follows: Attendees were also given the opportunity to discuss their views and to make suggestions on the draft information 3.7.1 Summary Page previously circulated within small groups. Other information Location- brief geographical description. was made available on request. In the autumn of 2002 Landscape character - summary statement of the area. digital copies of revised work in progress were issued to all Key characteristics - main elements defining the registered parties, asking for their written comments. character. Comments received up to Christmas 2002 were processed Distinctive features - individual features of note. and conveyed to the consultants for incorporation as appropriate. The main contribution made by this category 3.7.2 Assessment Page of stakeholders is to rigorously review and challenge the Physical influences suggested area boundaries and to provide detailed Geology and soils. information to populate the character statements. Topography - including degree of slope and altitude range. 3.6.2 Tier B - Community of Place Hydrology. As for Volumes 2 and 3a, views of the local community Land cover and land use. were sought via the Hertfordshire Citizens Panel. The Vegetation and wildlife. Citizens Panel is a strictly representative cross-section of the Historic and cultural influences community who have agreed to participate in a number of Field pattern and field size. sampling processes. It provided a way of securing Transport pattern. community evaluation of landscapes unbiased by the Settlement and built form. agenda of local pressure groups. 924 members of the Other sources of area specific information Citizens Panel living in north and west Hertfordshire were selected by. A similar but improved version of the previous 3.7.3 Evaluation Page questionnaire was then devised in conjunction with MORI Visual and sensory perception. and sent to the Tier B recipients, achieving just over a 20% Rarity and distinctiveness. response rate. As before, on the basis of maps in the Visual impact of built development. questionnaire, (with an appropriate weighting factor to Accessibility. compensate for lower response rates), contributors Community views. responses about landscape preferences were aggregated Condition and robustness matrix. and analysed and an appropriate summary comment Landscape and ecological designations. included in the community views section of each character area description. Where both available and informative, The above topics were considered systematically for the individual views are quoted. These were selected on the evaluation section of the report. The entry for each topic basis of a professional review of published material and was devised on the basis of professional judgement, input questionnaire responses, with references provided to aid from HCC staff, responses from the public consultation audit ability and ownership. Although this round of Tier B process and the following specific criteria. consultation generated fewer responses than in the past (typically 20% per area rather than 33%), and thus fewer than required for strict comparability with previous work, it is considered that sufficient responses have been received

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 11 3.0 METHODOLOGY

Visual and sensory perception. This included views to, database, to enable the GIS map data to be made from and within an area, the scale of elements, sense of interactive with the text. The data described above was enclosure, visual unity and noise/tranquility. Information delivered to the client in both hard copy and on CD-ROM. was largely gleaned during the field survey process and recorded on the survey sheets. 3.8 ANALYSING LANDSCAPE CHANGE Rarity and distinctiveness. Rarity was assessed on the Under section 3.7.3 above there is reference to a 'Condition frequency of the landscape type within parts of Southern and Strength of Character Matrix'. In order to assess any Hertfordshire, St Albans District and the study area (not the landscape's potential ability to adapt to change without whole county). Distinctiveness relates to those particular losing its intrinsic character, it is necessary to analyse the landscape characteristics or features that help distinguish functional integrity or condition of the landscape and one particular landscape character area from another and balance this against the strength of character as make it special.This may have referred to individual features demonstrated by the more permanent or robust elements or the overall character. The entry for rarity and of the landscape. Landscape condition is determined from distinctiveness was added later in the report process when an evaluation of the relative state (poor/moderate/good) of an overview of the whole study area was available. elements within the landscape which are subject to change, Visual impact of built development. This identified the such as survival of hedgerows, extent and impact of built magnitude and extent of the impact of built features on development. Strength of character is determined from an local landscape character. It included settlements, roads, evaluation of the impact of relatively stable factors, such as railways, etc. Data was gathered during the field survey landform and land cover, the apparent continuity of an and presented on the survey sheets. historic pattern, the degree of visibility of and within the Accessibility. This was a qualitative assessment of the area and its rarity. number lengths of rights of way, areas of publically accessible land and the presence of associated recreational Seven factors were considered for each area (see matrix for activities. any area). Each was evaluated in the field and an entry Community views. These were based on an aggregate made on the survey sheet. They were then considered statement from the Community of Place questionnaire against a three-point scale and entered in the matrix table. returns, which were analysed by HCC Head of Landscape. Values for the factors on each axis were then aggregated A provisional five-point rating was given to each landscape and a majority total applied. The resulting intersection on area (or sub-area) with 'A' being the most valued and 'E' the the matrix determined the general strategy for each least acknowledged. These ratings are included at the end landscape character area ( last page of each character area). of each community views section. Historic or literary quotations were added when available, to give a 'time This evaluation via matrix enables a general guideline to be depth' perspective. Some extracts from questionnaire determined, such as, for example 'conserve and strengthen', responses may also have been included where apt or where where a landscape area is in good condition but only there is little history of commentary. moderate robustness, or 'improve and reinforce' where a Condition and Strength of Character matrix. See section landscape area is in moderate condition and of weak 3.8 below. robustness. Once this primary guideline has been Landscape and ecological designations Relevant established, specific guidelines can be put forward that will designations were collated from HCC, English Nature and address issues within the particular area, with a view to English Heritage. These include Areas of Outstanding improving both condition and strength of character as Natural Beauty (AONB), Landscape Conservation Areas, , necessary to reinforce its distinctiveness. Scheduled Ancient Monuments (visible features), Special Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSIs), historic parks and gardens of the English Heritage Register.

3.7.4 Guidelines Page A general strategy and list of area-specific guidelines for managing change is included for each character area (see section 3.8 below).

In addition to the above each description is illustrated with a diagrammatic location plan and photographs of the area. The Landscape Character Areas are also identified on a map. This was done digitally as an ArcView 3.2 project set against a 1:10,000 scale OS base, at a resolution of 1;2000 scale. Some of the 30 Landscape Character Areas identified were further sub-divided to show a finer level of resolution. The text for the report was also provided as an Access

pg 12 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment BEDMOND PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 9

District Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Tring

©Crown copyright .All rights reserved.

Hertfordshire County Council LA076678 2003 Berkhamsted Hemel Hempstead

area 9

LOCATION DISTINCTIVE FEATURES This area is located in an upstanding area between Hemel • thatched Ovaltine Dairy Farm Hempstead in the north and Watford in the south. The • pig-rearing valley of the River Gade lies to the west and St Stephen’s • wireless station on Hyde Lane Bowl to the east. • mature treed cemetery on East Lane

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER A gently undulating plateau area of small to medium-sized fields that are predominantly pasture. Woodlands are discrete and modest except for Hanging and Piecorner Woods to the east of Bedmond. A visually contained and coherent landscape with a mature settled appearance arising from a number of traditional farms. Twentieth- century development is chiefly residential ribbon development with long gardens.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS • gently undulating plateau with considerable pastoral and equestrian land • narrow straight lanes to the west running parallel but not connecting • winding narrow roads to the east • discrete woodlands throughout the area including both ancient woodland and plantations • coherent settled pattern of farms • small parkland areas in educational and institutional use • M25 severing the area, partly in cutting

East Lane hedgebank • (E. Staveley)

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 21 BEDMOND PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 9

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. There is a combination of soils in this Bedmond was the birthplace of the only English Pope, area. To the north the soils comprise well-drained flinty Nicholas Breakspear, known as Pope Adrian IV (1154-59). coarse loamy and gravelly soils (Sonning 2 association) over His birthplace was reputed to be a spring, the water of plateau gravel and river terrace drift. To the centre around which was supposed to have healing properties. Bedmond, soils contain some very flinty sandy and loamy Field pattern. There is a good continuity to the historic soils with bleached sub-surface horizons in the woodlands landscape pattern. The field layout varies across Bedmond (Hornbeam 1 series). These soils lie over plateau and Road. To the east it is largely organic pre-18th century glaciofluvial drift. Over the remainder of the area soils are a origin with some subsequent field enlargement and mix of well-drained fine loamy over clayey soils and coarse meandering narrow lanes. To the west the pattern is pre- and fine loamy over clayey soils with slowly permeable 18th century co-axial enclosure where fields have parallel subsoils (Marlow series) over plateau and river-terrace drift. boundaries and secondary sub-divisions at right angles. Topography. The plateau is gently undulating and includes Transport pattern. This co-axial field pattern to the west is a number of fingers of land extending to the west and east. echoed in the road layout, with a series of parallel lanes There is a gradual fall to the south east of the area. including Bunker’s Lane, Hyde Lane and Harthall Lane. To Degree of slope. Typically less than 1 in 100 across the the east of Bedmond road, which connects Watford to plateau. South-east slopes range between 1 in 12 and 1 in Hemel Hempstead, the pattern is of narrow winding lanes 16. with hedgebanks, e.g. East Lane and Whitehouse Lane. The Altitude range. The plateau typically ranges from 140m in M25, although in cutting for part of its route, severs the the north down to 125m in the south, towards Abbots area. Langley. To the south east the land slowly falls down to Settlements and built form. The area has a planned and 75m. settled appearance with a number of dispersed farmsteads. Hydrology. There are no significant streams. However Bedmond is the main village and dates back to at least there are a number of ponds associated with farmsteads, 1100. Local materials include red brick, render, woodlands or field corners. Scattered springs are also weatherboarding, flint walls with brick quoins and peg tiles. present. There is also the curious iron church, with unique spire, Land cover and land use. The land-use pattern is wooded built as Bedmond received village status in 1880. There are farmland to the east, with a mix of pastoral (both no large houses, but Serge Hill House and Pimlico House equestrian and livestock) and treed farmland to the west. are good examples of elegant domestic architecture. The The area supports two areas of extensive pig-rearing which thatched black-and-white framed Ovaltine Dairy Farm is a is a rare sight in the county. copy of Marie-Antoinette's model farm at Versailles. This Vegetation and wildlife. The woodland pattern on the has now been converted but is still a local feature, visible plateau is of discrete blocks comprising beech, sycamore, from the M25. Twentieth-century development has resulted and oak to the west. The ancient woodlands east of in considerable ribbon development, particularly to Toms Bedmond include hornbeam and beech on the woodland Lane, in association with long garden plots. edges and younger stands of sweet chestnut, ash, oak and pine. Hedges are of medium height with some on hedge OTHER SOURCES OF AREA-SPECIFIC banks or locally sunken, e.g. Millhouse Lane and East Lane. INFORMATION Hedge species include hazel, field maple, beech, bracken Pevsner, N. rev. Cherry, B., Hertfordshire, Penguin (2000). and holly, while field trees include oak, ash and beech. Fences are infrequent and confined to livestock areas. Verges are narrow in the lanes but wider on Bedmond Lane.

pg 22 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment BEDMOND PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 9

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY With the exception of the views from the M25, the area is There is a good network of footpaths, and the attractive generally well concealed due to the elevated landform. and contained character of the landscape adds to the There are more open views to the wooded edge from the enjoyment of the recreational facilities. There is an arable land to the east. The scale of fields and dense equestrian centre at High Herts, Pimlico. The Hertfordshire hedges mean the landscape is relatively well contained. The Way passes through the area, but is locally confined. area has a coherent and unified character, although the M25 produces considerable noise intrusion. COMMUNITY VIEWS Rarity and distinctiveness. The landscape type is frequent This area contains a number of places remarked upon by in the county. The most distinct features are the narrow co- the community. These are mainly on the higher ground, axial fields and parallel roads west of Bedmond Road. such as Bunkers Hill and High Herts Riding School, but the Ovaltine farm is also cited (D). VISUAL IMPACT The M25 and the radio masts on Hyde are the major detracting features to the area. Entrances to some paddocks are in poor condition. A caravan park is located off Toms Lane.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mature or young Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: continuous Management of semi-natural habitat: variable Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: intact Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: moderate Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

ROBUSTNESS

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 23 BEDMOND PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 9

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE • promote the appropriate management of existing • ensure that the surroundings of converted buildings are woodlands and hedgebanks. Develop a range of different designed and maintained to be in keeping with their management systems, such as high forest, coppice, agricultural surroundings by ensuring that 'garden' details coppice-with-standards and wood pasture and re- are screened from view where possible and native species establish a species-rich ground flora are used to boundaries • use ancient hedge and field boundaries to determine the • traffic-calming measures, where considered necessary, most appropriate location for woodland restoration and must be of a scale and design that relates to the local expansion landscape character of the settlement. The use of • promote the expansion of woodland beyond ancient unsympathetic materials, such as concrete paviors, woodland boundaries, especially where this will help in coloured concrete and brightly coloured road markings creating habitat links should be avoided, and kerbing should be kept to a • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive minimum arable production and important semi-natural habitats • protect the local pattern of roads, verges and hedgerows and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats and manage the verges for wildlife • promote the use of reservoirs for water storage and • ensure that any design proposals for minor roads fit the nature conservation interest, rather than groundwater grain of the local landscape both horizontally and abstraction. Ensure that reservoirs are designed to vertically; avoid significant impact on the local historic minimise impact on the character of the local landscape field pattern • promote hedgerow creation throughout the area to • encourage effective management along transport provide visual and ecological links between existing and corridors to ensure thinning, selective felling and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow historic field replanting is undertaken to achieve a varied age structure boundaries where possible and locally indigenous species mix • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed • improve public access arrangements to woodlands with livestock/arable farming where possible low-key provision of car parking • promote both the creation of new ponds and the retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds • promote hedgerow restoration through locally appropriate measures, including coppicing, laying and replanting/gapping-up • encourage the re-use of existing agricultural buildings for equestrian activity • promote the use of locally traditional field enclosure where land is converted to equestrian pasture. Use hedging in preference to fencing • ensure that, where ancient lanes and their associated hedgerows fall within or abut a proposed development, such features are protected and integrated into the new development with due regard to their historic, ecological and landscape value

• Pig-rearing on stony soils (E. Staveley)

pg 24 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment ST STEPHEN'S PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 10

Tring District Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA

©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Berkhamsted Hertfordshire County Council Hemel

LA076678 2003 Hempstead

area 10

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area is located between St Albans, Watford and Hemel • undulating plateau to north, gently sloping to south east Hempstead. It is dissected by the M1, M25 and M10 • medium/large open arable fields throughout motorways. • visually interlocking mixed woodlands to north • significant extent of motorways and interchanges with LANDSCAPE CHARACTER associated earthworks, lights and traffic A working farmed landscape of predominantly open arable • narrow winding lanes with sparse clipped hedgerows fields which slopes from north-west to south-east. To the • built edge of urban settlements to east north several large mixed woodlands create a local sense of • dispersed settlement with scattered farmsteads enclosure. Elsewhere hedgerows are sparse with few individual field trees. The settlement pattern is dispersed, DISTINCTIVE FEATURES connected by a series of narrow winding lanes. The historic • Gardens of the Rose - Bone Hill land-use pattern is overlaid by a strong network of • recycling plant at Longfield Spring motorways and junctions. Wooded horizons are common to the north, west and south, whilst to the east the built edge of St Albans and Chiswell Green is prominent.

Wooded farmland from • Bedmond Lane (E. Anderson)

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 25 ST STEPHEN'S PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 10

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. To the north the plateau drift and clay- Adjacent to the northern boundary of the area lies Prae with-flints geology is overlaid by well-drained fine silty over Wood, an ancient woodland, within which is an important clayey soils, often very flinty (Carstens series). On the Late Iron Age (c.15BC to AD60) settlement. southern slopes the geology is a flinty and chalky drift over Field pattern. The network of lanes, settlement and field chalk. The soils comprise well-drained flinty fine soils in patterns exhibits an organic pattern with pre-18th century valley bottoms and calcareous fine silty soils on the valley origins. However, this pattern has been subject to sides (Charity 2 series). considerable field amalgamation with the removal of Topography. The wooded plateau area to the north hedgerows creating some large featureless prairie fields. undulates gently. To the south east there are a number of Transport pattern. There is a dual pattern of roads in the secondary valleys with steeper gradients which give a area. The historic lanes, which are relatively intact, are stronger landform. These valleys eventually run either side narrow and winding. Overlying, but distinct, are the major of Chiswell Green. network of motorways including the M1, M10 and M25 Degree of slope. On the plateau the slopes are less than 1 and a large interchange. in 100, while on the south-east slopes they are typically 1 Settlements and built form. The settlement pattern in 15. comprises a number of dispersed farmsteads throughout the Altitude range. 100-140m on the northern plateau and area. There is one cluster of dwellings at Potters Crouch, 82-100m on the southern slopes. but otherwise the area is sparsely settled up to the well- Hydrology. Surface water is rare, particularly on the defined urban areas to the eastern and north-western limestone slopes. A number of small ponds are present on boundaries. Most farmsteads are modest in scale and are of the higher ground, generally in association with the typical vernacular materials including brick, white render, farmsteads. weatherboard and claytile. A few examples of thatching are Land cover and land use. The pattern of land cover is the to be found near Park Wood. Holt Farm is a medieval prominent feature of the landscape. This is characterised by timber-framed and moated farm. extensive areas of arable cropping, particularly to the south, with few low or relic hedges. The proportion of arable reduces on the plateau areas to the north where historically it has been more heavily wooded. There is a good mix of deciduous and conifer plantations defining the open arable fields. Small areas of pasture are located either around farmsteads, e.g. Potters Crouch, or on urban edges, e.g. Chiswell Green, where other suburban uses are present, including recreation grounds and allotments. Vegetation and wildlife. Woodlands are a combination of ancient woodlands, e.g. Birch Wood and Park Wood, and plantations, e.g. Potters Crouch Plantation. The main indigenous woodland community is acidic oak/hornbeam. Many woods were replanted in the 20th century with a high proportion of softwoods, including pine and larch, in the core, while the historic deciduous edges comprising birch, ash, oak and holly are generally retained. Old pollard beech and hornbeam are found at Park Wood and on other historic hedgebank boundaries. Hedgerow species comprise a wide mix including field maple, beech, hazel, holly, hawthorn and dog rose. Hedges are generally in a state of decline with some only relic. The visual effect of boundary loss is less marked to the north due to the presence of the woodland blocks. Hedgerow trees are mainly oak with occasional ash, but many are mature and over-mature. A number of isolated oak tree rows within fields ghost the line of removed hedgerows.

pg 26 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment ST STEPHEN'S PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 10

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The area is widely visible from outside, including open There are limited opportunities for recreation within the views from the urban areas to the east. The scale of the area. Rights of way often pass through large arable fields. landscape is medium to large. From within the area there Open views to the motorways and the associated noise are extensive views from the motorways, particularly the detract. Specific features of interest are the Gardens of the M1 and M10, but also from some of the narrow lanes on Rose at Bone Hill, the new golf course at Potters Green, the arable landscape to the south. To the north the Chiswell Green equestrian centre and public access to woodland provides a stronger sense of enclosure. The noise Blackwater Wood. of the motorways is relentless and discordant. Rarity and distinctiveness. This landscape type is relatively COMMUNITY VIEWS common in the county. The most distinctive feature is the An area of some contrast. The landscape near the M1/M25 wooded farmland to the north on the plateau. interchange seems to be of little regard, whereas the distinctive conifer plantations around Potterscrouch and VISUAL IMPACT West Furzefield are valued by the community (D). The motorways present a strong built element in the landscape. The M1 is generally poorly integrated with little LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS in the way of screen planting and a locally dominant Watling Chase Community Forest (east of the M1). influence of vehicles and lighting gantries. The M25 and the interchange with the M1 are better integrated. Despite their size, considerable earthworks and new planting reduce the scale of the feature and its visual impact. There has been some localised movement towards new recreational uses, such as the golf course at Potters Crouch west of the M1, although steep perimeter bunding to the M1 has done little to integrate the change of land use. The raw built edges of Chiswell Green and How Wood represent significant suburban impact.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mature Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: relic Management of semi-natural habitat: variable Visibility from outside: widely visible Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: open Impact of built development: high Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

ROBUSTNESS

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 27 ST STEPHEN'S PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 10

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND REINFORCE • support the Watling Chase Community Forest in the realisation of its objectives for the area • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout the area to provide visual and ecological links between existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries where possible • promote the creation of a network of new woodlands in the open arable landscape, particularly with a view to visually integrating the intrusive motorways and existing urban fringe development. Develop a mix of medium to large woods near the motorways and urban areas (developing the existing pattern to the north ) and also smaller copses linking with hedgerow restoration on the open arable areas, emphasising topographical variation • promote appropriate woodland management for existing plantation woodlands, including encouraging the replacement of softwoods with indigenous native deciduous communities, hedgebank management and re- establishing a rich ground flora • improve public access arrangements to woodlands with attention to car park design and safety • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed livestock/arable farming where possible. Include equestrian uses where feasible • broaden the range of recreational opportunities • ensure all existing and proposed recreational land uses include appropriate measures to manage and enhance the existing landscape setting and historical and ecological value. Particular attention should be given to ensure earthwork proposals complement natural landform patterns

• Open views towards the M1 (E. Staveley)

pg 28 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment VER/COLNE RIVER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area17

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage Bishops ©Crown copyright Stortford All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council Hertford LA076678 Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 17

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area follows the River Ver south from St Albans to its • well-defined linear river corridor from St Albans to confluence with the River Colne and then into Watford past Watford the M1. • flat sinuous floodplain with ecologically important floodplain meadows LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • steeper valley sides including arable conversions, golf A narrow river valley corridor which skirts a mosiac of courses and restored land settlements, parkland, farmland and both active and • parklands fronting river at Munden Hall and Wall Hall restored mineral workings. The modest River Ver and upper • area of restored mineral workings in river floodplain Colne occupy a meandering floodplain which is grazed by • fragmentation of linear valley form and a loss of livestock at a number of locations. Riparian willow tranquillity where crossed by the M25, M1 and A414 plantations line the rivers along part of the course whilst • sense of rural seclusion between Otterspool and south of Park Street restored wetland mineral workings Colne/Ver confluence with attractive riverside views provide recreational opportunities. A number of distinctive • visual intrusion from urban fringe development at features punctuate the river landscape, including parkland, Watford, Park Street, Colney Street and St Albans mills and fords. The valley is visually contained by side slopes and vegetation which generally conceal the presence DISTINCTIVE FEATURES of the adjoining settlements. The Ver-Colne Valley walk • mature beech avenue at Munden provides good pedestrian access. • ford crossings of river • stands of willows • converted mills at Moor Mill and Sopwell • vernacular 'Three Valleys' pumping stations • threaded river course south of Munden Hall

• Sopwell meadows (J. Billingsley)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 79 VER/COLNE RIVER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 17

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The floodplain comprises river alluvium • Wall Hall Park and Pleasure Grounds were laid out in the covered in stoneless clayey and poorly drained soils early 19th century following the advice of Humphry (Fladbury 1 series). These are locally calcareous. On the Repton who provided a 'Red Book' of suggestions in valley slopes the underlying geology is a combination of 1803, including alterations to the drives and the plateau and river-terrace drift. The soils are well-drained incorporation of a former quarry. flinty coarse loamy and sandy over gravels (Sonning 1 • The area around Munden Hall is relatively intact and association). comprises areas of informal medieval parkland and a Topography. The contrast between the locally steep side complete section of meadow pasture. This section of the slopes and river floodplain are a strong characteristic of the river corridor also contains the site of several Roman area, e.g. north of Park Street and along Drop Lane. villas. Elsewhere the side slopes are less marked. Field pattern. The floodplain was historically largely open Degree of slope. Valley floor falls at less than 1 in 500. in character but has been contained by both 18th-century Side slopes vary between 1 in 40 to 1 in 5. parliamentary enclosure and more widespread 20th-century Altitude range. 53m-75m along the valley floor over a enclosure. The field pattern is discontinuous but, where length of 12km. The side slopes are generally up to 15m present, fields are irregular in shape and medium in size. above the floodplain. Many boundaries are fenced, with few hedges. Some Hydrology. The Ver is a chalk stream which supports former pre-18th century sinuous field patterns on the valley important grassland habitats. The Colne is more acidic with slopes have now been broken down to create post-1950 lower flows than the Ver. The river meanders within the prairie fields. floodplain and there are a number of threaded courses Transport pattern. The Roman Watling Street crosses the between Munden Hall and Bushey Mill. Associated wet Ver at Frogmore/Park Street, where its straight alignment areas within the floodplain are common and a number of deviates around what was probably locally wet ground. tributary streams feed the watercourses from the slope. At Watling Street first brought pilgrims to St Albans and then Park Street restored wetlands create a contrasting character. many travellers over the centuries. There are few other Fish-spawning ponds have been created close to the M1. historic routes, with only the narrow Drop Lane following Land cover and land use. The floodplain is characterised the edge of the floodplain. The area is, however, crossed by by a mix of pasture (with grazing cattle), arable conversion a number of motorways and trunk roads, including the M1, (between the M25 and the M1) and recreational areas. M25 and A414. The A4008 link road into Watford from the Land uses on the side slopes are a mix of arable cropping, M1 follows the river corridor. The St Pancras railway line golf courses, restored land and parkland. West of the M1 follows to the west of the area at Park Street. towards Watford there is a mix of pasture, semi-natural Settlements and built form. A number of mills were built habitats and recreational uses, in significant contrast to the along the river, e.g. at Sopwell and Park Street. These mills adjacent urban areas. are now converted to offices and restaurants. Vegetation and wildlife. The river corridor lies at the • The two principal houses in the area are almost opposite junction of the clay with flints and the London Clay natural each other. On the west bank is Munden Hall, an early regions and consequently provides a varied range of 19th-century mansion, and on the east bank Wall Hall, a habitats. North of the confluence with the Colne are several Gothick-style castellated turreted and cemented house of important unimproved floodplain meadow grasslands, e.g. 1802 built for George Thelluson, which is now part of Sopwell Meadows. Sedge marsh or 'rich fen' is found with Watford University. important species such as bogbean present. The natural • Local building materials comprise brick and clay tile with woodland type is floodplain alder but very little remains. weathered timber-framed barns. This style has been Small riverine plantations and linear belts are present for utilised in the distinctive 'Three Valleys' pumping stations. both cropping and amenity, with distinctive silvery-leaved willow, poplar and ash. There is a good mix in age structure of trees and most of the floodmeadows are actively managed. Hedgerows contain the wider valley along lanes or to higher ground. Hawthorn is the main species, but locally at Drop Lane this is replaced by beech, reflecting the underlying chalk. There are many mature specimen trees and copses, including beech, sycamore, sweet chestnut, cedar and oak in the parklands at Wall Hall and Munden Hall. Some parkland trees are over-mature and in decline.

pg 80 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment VER/COLNE RIVER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 17

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY There are limited views of the river corridor from outside There are few arterial routes along the valley apart from the the area. The section from Otterspool to Colney Street has Ver-Colne Valley Walk, for which there are two car parks, a a strong visual unity and sense of rural seclusion. Parklands picnic site and riverside walks near Drop Lane. Accessibility overlooking the floodplain add a further degree of cohesion along the walk is generally good, but locally poorly signed to the area. Other sections to the north and south are more and maintained. Opportunities for horse riding and cycling influenced by adjacent urban uses, or comprise restored along the valley are limited. The river is crossed by a land. The noise from local roads provides the major number of fords which are passable with difficulty during detraction in downgrading what otherwise would be a very high water levels. Golf courses at St Albans and Aldenham pleasant area. occupy parts of the valley slopes. A 'Top Golf' centre is Rarity and distinctiveness. One of a number of river under construction west of the M1 close to Watford. valleys in the county. Certain lengths are important for the flood meadows. COMMUNITY VIEWS The western end of the Ver Colne valley is valued for some VISUAL IMPACT distinctive elements, including 'lovely walks by woodland The major roads which cross over the river corridor are and streams'. These appeal even to those who would not significant detracting features by virtue of both the rank these as their preferred elements in the landscape (D). structures and the visual disturbance of the traffic. Pylons also disrupt the scenic value. West of the M1 the built LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS edges of Watford and Bushey visually contain the area and Watling Chase Community Forest (most). the A4008 affects the otherwise relaxed riverine character. SAM: moated site at Bushey Hall Farm. English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens: Wall Hall (Grade II).

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: moderate Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 81 VER/COLNE RIVER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 17

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE • support Watling Chase community forest in the • extend opportunities for access by bicycle and horse realisation of its objectives • support the conservation and renovation of the parkland • support the traditional grazing patterns and natural landscapes at Wall Hall and Munden House and enhance seasonal flooding as a means of managing the important their riverside aspect and sensitive floodmeadow grasslands • restore and reinstate historic features in the floodplain, • control the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides that e.g. lily ponds at Wall Hall could affect the river and meadow habitats • resist ploughing of grasslands within parklands and • promote the reversion of floodplain meadows from arable encourage reversion from arable to grassland uses south of the Ver/Colne confluence • promote a co-ordinated recreation, access and • encourage planting of small to medium-scale plantations conservation strategy for the development and to screen major roads (including the M1, M25), soften management of the area west of the M1 urban edges and emphasise the slopes and sense of seclusion along the valley floor • restore and sensitively manage the historic hedgerow pattern and river valley field trees • support the management of riparian willow plantations and look for opportunities to maintain a balanced age structure of plantations and individual trees • encourage planting of floodplain alder woodland communities (NB check extent of water-borne diseases affecting alder) • promote the establishment of buffer strips of semi-natural vegetation along all watercourses, avoiding potential conflict with recreational use • protect river corridors and water meadows from development that would alter its character visually or environmentally, such as culverting, impact on a floodplain, loss of water meadows or storage ponds • avoid the construction of flood management or retention features that would be difficult to integrate into the natural landscape of such areas • promote improved access to the valley generally. and links and signing to the Ver-Colne Valley Walk in particular

• River crossing, Drop Lane (J. Billingsley)

pg 82 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment BRICKET WOOD summary assessment evaluation guidelines area18

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage

©Crown copyright Bishops Stortford All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council Hertford LA076678 Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford

area 18

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS Between Bricket Wood, How Wood and the River • a number of ancient woodlands Ver/Colne Valley. • poorly or partly restored mineral workings • strong severance by the M25 and railway line LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • secretive and secluded character of Bricket Wood An area of mixed land uses and transitional character, Common including considerable woodland, unrestored mineral • tall and poorly-managed hedgerows with significant workings, educational, industrial, horticultural and arable dieback land. The area has undergone significant change in the • scattered industrial and residential properties 20th century and is impinged upon by settlement at Bricket Wood and How Wood, together with a marked severance DISTINCTIVE FEATURES by the M25. The historic pattern is well preserved in Bricket • ornamental grounds of HSBC College and associated Wood Common, but eroded in many other locations, sports centre showing poor management and some dereliction. • wells and ponds at Bricket Wood Common

Hornbeam coppice • at Bricket Wood Common (HCC Landscape Unit)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 83 BRICKET WOOD summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 18

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The geology comprises Aeolian silty The traditional cohesion of the area has been disorientated drift and till. The soils are stoneless, slowly permeable, by the extent of built development in the 20th century seasonally waterlogged coarse loamy soils and silty over together with mineral extraction. The Common was clayey soils (Gresham series). Bricket Wood Common is historically managed by a combination of grazing, coppicing located on acidic boulder clay which leads to a wet heath and burning. habitat. Moor Mill Quarry SSSI is a site of gravels, silts and Field pattern. Substantial areas of ancient woodland and chalky till which helps trace the diversion of the proto- common survive although much of the original field pattern Thames. has been affected by subsequent non-agricultural land use. Topography. The area is a gently undulating plateau except Where present, fields are small/medium in size and irregular at the eastern fringes, adjoining minor tributary valleys next in form. to the River Colne. Transport pattern. The majority of original local roads are Degree of slope. Typically 1 in 80. Up to 1 in 12 on narrow sinuous lanes with no verges. The St Pancras railway secondary valleys to Colne. line dissects the area, most noticeably on the Common. The Altitude range. 83 - 75m. M25 severs the area and the M1 lies to the west. Hydrology. Drainage on Bricket Wood Common is poor, Settlements and built form. The traditional pattern of particularly to the east of the railway. There are a number dispersed properties and small hamlets adjacent to the of small waterbodies and ponds scattered through the area, commons can still be locally seen, e.g. at Smug Oak. associated with either the Common, old farmsteads, old However, these are invariably submerged by 20th-century gravel workings or more ornamental lakes linked to the development, including the Building Research Establishment HSBC College. Minor streams flow along some of the local (at Garston), which seems to have infiltrated the area in depressions. both open and woodland habitats. The main residential Land cover and land use. Land cover can be broadly split areas of Bricket Wood commenced in the 1930s. The between woodland, arable and disused minerals sites. exception is at Bricket Wood Common, where a small Arable land, although present throughout the area, is not hamlet including the Old Fox pub nestles at the end of a visually prominent due to the presence of tall though sinuous narrow lane through the wood. The HSBC College poorly-managed hedgerows. There are a few pasture fields has an institutional character with strongly ornamental remaining, associated with the settled fringe of Bricket grounds. This was initially the American Ambassador Wood Common and adjacent settlement edges. Former College, founded in 1959 and planned around a stuccoed mineral workings degrade the area, particularly adjacent to villa. the M25, which itself is flanked by substantial earth bunds, thereby containing the area visually. A former minerals site OTHER SOURCES OF AREA-SPECIFIC on Lye Lane is to be restored for golf use. INFORMATION Vegetation and wildlife. Bricket Wood Common (SSSI) is English Nature SSSI notification. an important example of lowland heath. Part of the site is ancient oak/hornbeam woodland but much has regenerated from the former open, wet, acidic heath to scrub woodland, including birch and oak. The Common merited three separate field studies in J.G. Dony's Flora of Hertfordshire. Significant areas of hornbeam coppice have developed into a series of eerie anthropomorphic forms. Active management maintains the mix of woodland habitats. Other tree species include hazel, aspen, alder buckthorn and sessile oak. The main elements of heathland flora still survive due to recent management and include heather, heath grass, heath milkwort and heath spotted orchid. The Common also contains the largest colony of violet helleborine in the county. Many of the other woodlands, including Blackgreen Wood, Nottlers Wood and Mutchetts Wood are ancient, though poorly managed. Woodland edges are marked by deep ditches, banks and hornbeam coppice. The woods are relatively drier than the Common and species include hornbeam, beech, oak and ash. Hedgerow species include elm, hawthorn, hazel and holly, although much of the elm is dying back. There are some local areas of dry heath associated with areas of gravel capping.

pg 84 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment BRICKET WOOD summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 18

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION COMMUNITY VIEWS Views are relatively contained both from outside and within The wooded landscape has some value for distinctiveness, the area. The jewel of the area is the Common, where including those for whom woodland is not their primary there is a strong sense of seclusion and separation. interest (D). Although certain areas, notably the Common, are well Re Bricket Wood Common: 'a most fascinating backwoods maintained, elsewhere the area has a feeling of neglect and region. Here are morasses, thick undergrowth, rare orchids transition. Fly-tipping is a common detractor. Unrestored and trees of many types' ('Elstree and the Colne Valley', mineral workings are clearly visible from public roads, e.g. Hertfordshire Countryside Vol.20, No.83, March 1966). Smug Oak Lane and Lye Lane, and many of the residential properties display defensive boundary details. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS Rarity and distinctiveness. Although much of the Watling Chase Community Forest (All). landscape type is frequent, the Bricket Wood Common is SSSI: Moor Mill Quarry (geological interest). unique within the county. The extensive wet acidic heath is SSSI: Bricket Wood Common. a rare habitat and the area is classified as a High Biodiversity Area in the BAP.

VISUAL IMPACT The M25 is a major built feature through the area, although it is in cutting for most of its length. At Blackgreen Wood extensive new planting has been undertaken to create a new woodland edge.

ACCESSIBILITY There is an access land agreement over the extensive Bricket Wood Common. East of the railway line the Common can be very wet, which seasonally restricts access. There is limited parking available along School Lane. Although known to the local population the area is not well signed. Elsewhere there are localised footpaths and bridleways. Horse riding is a noted use, although some of the lanes are rat runs and potentially dangerous.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: widespread Impact of historic pattern: continuous Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: concealed Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: contained Impact of built development: low Visual unity: unified Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unique

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 85 BRICKET WOOD summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 18

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: SAFEGUARD AND MANAGE • support the Watling Chase Community Forest in the • promote hedgerow restoration through locally realisation of its objectives for the area appropriate measures including coppicing, laying and • continue the management of the Common to benefit replanting/gapping-up restoration of wet heathland flora • ensure that ancient lanes and their associated hedgerows, • promote management on the Common to benefit ditches and hedgebanks are retained, protected, restoration of coppice woodland enhanced and integrated into new development with due • promote the re-establishment of low-density stock regard to their historic, ecological and landscape value grazing and management by rotational cutting, turf • traffic-calming measures, where considered necessary, stripping and/or controlled burning as appropriate must be of a scale and design that relates to the local • establish realistic and attractive countryside management landscape character of the settlement schemes for all sites with heathland and acid • promote a clear strategy for the visual and noise grassland/scrub community potential. Create a mix of mitigation of all motorways to positively integrate these habitat types with a balance between wildlife and public corridors into the local landscape character access. Promote local initiatives for traditional • encourage effective management along transport management corridors to ensure thinning, selective felling and • promote the creation of additional woodlands, particularly replanting is undertaken to achieve a varied age structure with a view to visually integrating the intrusive and locally indigenous species mix motorways, urban fringe development and former mineral sites • improve public access arrangements to heaths and woodlands with attention to car park design and public safety • promote the appropriate management of coppice woodland in order to maintain a rich ground flora and the distinction between different management systems, such as high forest, coppice, coppice-with-standards and wood pasture • use ancient hedge and field boundaries to identify the most appropriate location for wood restoration and expansion • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive arable production and important semi-natural habitats and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed livestock/arable farming where possible • promote both the creation of new ponds and the retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds

• Clearing in woodland at Bricket Wood Common (HCC Landscape Unit)

pg 86 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment VALE OF ST ALBANS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area19

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage

©Crown copyright Bishops Stortford All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council Hertford LA076678 Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 19

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS The Vale is situated south of St Albans and north of Shenley • broad shallow basin varying by only 10m Ridge between the A5 and North Mymms Park. • extensive views along the Vale and up to Shenley Ridge • a predominantly arable landscape with few small or LANDSCAPE CHARACTER medium copses, and with some grazing on restored land A broad and shallow basin of the upper River Colne, with • areas of woodland and parkland to north east in some extensive panoramas over arable fields, both along association with Tyttenhanger Park the Vale and up towards Shenley Ridge to the south. Mixed • active and restored mineral extraction sites along the land uses include arable, extensive areas of active and course of the Colne and at Radlett aerodrome. Mix of restored mineral extraction and urban fringe development. wetland restoration and landfill sites Areas of wooded farmland estate characterise the north- • institutional parkland landscapes associated with eastern part of the area. redundant Victorian psychiatric hospitals at Napsbury and Harperbury • M25 corridor, overhead pylons and associated urban fringe development • new planting associated with the road corridor and adjacent land uses

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES • Harper Lane Quarry complex including rail aggregates depot and ready-mix concrete bagging plant • historic houses at North Mymms, Tyttenhanger and Salisbury Hall • recreational facilities on Bell Lane for UCL and Arsenal FC • All Saints Pastoral Centre chapel is a visual landmark from the M25 • Napsbury Hospital water tower • moated Salisbury Hall • Restored wetland, London Colney (J. Billingsley)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 87 VALE OF ST ALBANS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 19

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES restored water bodies there are areas of willow, alder, birch, Geology and soils. The geology in the core of the Vale cherry and oak. comprises Aeolian silty drift and till. These form deep Where present, hedges are hawthorn, field maple, hazel stoneless well-drained silty soils over gravel (Hamble 2 and blackthorn with occasional elder and elm. Oak is the series) with, to the east, stoneless slowly permeable most common standard tree with some ash, alder and seasonally waterlogged coarse loamy and silty soils willow. Some of the woods are in poor condition, e.g. (Gresham series, some Grade 2). To the base of the Shenley Garden Wood, which has been cleared for war games. Wet Ridge, brown earths (Marlow series) overlie plateau and acidic grasslands in the Tyttenhanger estate are important river terrace drift and chalk. To the north around Napsbury for birds. The large arable area south of Coursers Road sandy brown earths and clay soils (Hornbeam 3) overlie attracts flocks of wintering golden plovers and is the home glacial drift. of a colony of tree sparrows. South of Napsbury Hospital Topography. Levels along the Vale are almost level. Gently there is an important area of rare arable weeds, including undulating landforms towards St Albans and the lower the largest colony of cornflower in the county. slopes of the Shenley Ridge. Degree of slope. Typically 1 in 400 along the valley floor HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES and 1 in 100 across the valley. Side slopes increase to The moated Salisbury Hall, once the home of Nell Gwynne, between 1 in 50 and 1 in 25. was used by the De Havillands during WWII. The prototype Altitude range. 75 to 60m along a length of 6km. Across of the Mosquito was built there and it is now a museum to the centre of the Vale side slopes rise up to 95m at the foot the aircraft. of Shenley Ridge. Field pattern. Areas of pre-18th century origin enclosure Hydrology. The broad valley is a product of the proto- survive, but the cultural pattern has been widely affected Thames, which flowed north of its present course during throughout most of the area due to land-use change over the last Ice Age and covered the Central River Valleys the last 100 years. Field boundaries have been removed and region. The small acidic upper Colne flows in the area at there are large prairie fields to the east. Mineral extraction Park Corner on the Tyttenhanger estate. Downstream four and landfill have changed the local landscape character and substantial waterbodies have been created through landform patterns. Where present, field sizes are typically Tyttenhanger Park following mineral extraction. Between large and regular. Field boundaries often comprise ditches London Colney and the confluence with the Ver there are a and tracks, rather than hedgerows. number of disturbed habitats along the river including some Transport pattern. There are few historic roads through species-rich chalky habitats associated with calcareous the area with the exception of Coursers Road. There are a gravel pits. Lakes have also been created at Broad Colney number of busy modern roads, most notably the M25. The where the site is managed for nature conservation. The St.Pancras railway line crosses to the west. Colne is fed by a series of smaller seasonal tributary Settlements and built form. The settlement pattern owes streams. Isolated ponds are associated with farmhouses, its origins to the estates in the area. The result is a parkland and a moated site at Salisbury Hall. dispersed pattern with just a few farms and cottages on the Land cover and land use. This area is mainly in arable agricultural land and larger houses set in parkland. production, the open landscape punctuated by a few small • Tyttenhanger Park is recorded as a remnant deer park. isolated copses. Extensive areas have been excavated for The house, by the architect Peter Mills, and its distinctive minerals, including both farmland and parkland, most cupola date back to 1660. notably at Tyttenhanger Park, where the setting of the Hall • Salisbury Hall is one of few moated sites in the south and is encircled by mounds of overburden and spoil, with west of the county. attendant conveyor belts and plant. Some sites have been • All Saints Pastoral Centre (1899) is a distinctive neo-Tudor used for landfill and then restored to sheep grazing, whilst red brick and stone building. others have been returned to wetland habitats along the • Napsbury Hospital opened in 1905 and is an example of Colne. The area is also subject to re-development pressure the echelon-style mental asylum. The grounds, now for commercial and industrial units on the former Handley listed, were designed by William Goldring in an informal Page site at Colney Street and at London Colney. Both parkland style, incorporating a number of exotic trees. Harperbury and Napsbury Hospital sites, with their mature Isolated clusters of attendant cottages sprang up later in Victorian parkland and associated exotic tree species, are the 20th century. earmarked for residential redevelopment and conversion. • Recreational facilities have developed off Bell Lane, Vegetation and wildlife. Woodland areas are either including the UCL Sports Grounds and the new Arsenal associated with the parkland at Tyttenhanger or in more School of Excellence. discrete and linear blocks, e.g. at the foot of the Shenley Ridge. Some of the woods at Tyttenhanger, e.g. Coppice OTHER SOURCES OF AREA-SPECIFIC Wood, comprise an oak/hornbeam mix, indicating lighter INFORMATION acidic soil conditions. Scots pine and sweet chestnut are English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens. also present on these soils, together with oak, ash, English Heritage Register of Scheduled Ancient Monuments. sycamore, field maple and some holly. Around some of the

pg 88 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment VALE OF ST ALBANS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 19

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY There are extensive views both into and within most of the There is a moderately good network of rights of way across area, particularly where the M25 comes off Shenley Ridge. much of the area. However, many of the routes are The area has lost a large part of its historic character and is uninviting and forbidding, directly affected by active or now an open and disjointed area with road and rail noise recent mineral extraction, whilst others are over large open being a detracting feature. The parkland areas have a arable areas affected by views of major roads. Noted strong sense of neglect. recreational uses include horse riding and walking. Local centres for recreation include the De Havilland Aircraft Rarity and distinctiveness. The area is rather unusual by Museum at Salisbury Hall, Bowmans Green Open Farm and virtue of its openness and flatness. Broad Colney restored lakes.

VISUAL IMPACT COMMUNITY VIEWS Although there are a number of detracting features within There is little evidence that this area is valued for the landscape, bunding and roadside planting have ensured distinctiveness (E). Some features, including the parkland, they are at least partly concealed from many public views. are valued as distinctive (D). However, some of the bunds create their own impact, especially around many of the mineral sites. Prominent LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS detracting features include the M25 and industrial and Watling Chase Community Forest. commercial buildings on the perimeter of London Colney SAM: Colney Chapel moated site (London Colney). and Colney Street, which exert a considerable visual English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and gardens: influence on the surrounding area. Local treasures include Napsbury Hospital (Grade II). All Saints Pastoral centre and Napsbury water tower.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mature Impact of land cover: insignificant Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: mature or young Impact of historic pattern: relic Management of semi-natural habitat: fragmented Visibility from outside: widely visible Survival of cultural pattern: variable Sense of enclosure: open Impact of built development: high Visual unity: incoherent Impact of land-use change: high Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 89 VALE OF ST ALBANS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 19

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: RECONSTRUCT • support Watling Chase Community Forest in the • develop the network of rights of way within the area and realisation of its objectives for the area improve accessibility from local settlements and over • promote the creation of extensive areas of new large- major obstacles, e.g. motorways and railways scale woodlands to reflect the scale of the area, • ensure that any new built development is visually particularly in the open arable areas and mineral sites integrated into the landscape with minimal impact away from the river corridor • encourage the promotion of the existing and new tourist • woodlands should cater for public access, conservation and recreational facilities and economic productivity • encourage the creation of acidic grassland habitats along • woodland planting should provide screening for the Colne corridor motorways, roads and intrusive built development at • encourage the development of wetland habitats along London Colney and Colney Street the River Colne • provide ecological and visual linkage via a substantial • encourage the retention and management of areas of network of hedges between woodlands and hedgerow rare arable weed banks including the cornflower trees. Include links to adjacent areas at North Mymms • protect important wildlife habitats Park and Redwell Woods • encourage the development of a network of small woods, copses and hedges on the lower slopes of the Shenley Ridge • ensure that all existing and future mineral and aggregate- related operations in the Vale cause minimum visual impact through the careful use of earthworks and planting. Restoration proposals should look for opportunities to maximise biodiversity potential and enhance public access • give priority to the continued management and upgrading of restored mineral sites, including improved earthworks profiles, removal of over-mature trees and the introduction of new planting schemes • ensure that the mature 'institutional parkland landscapes' are retained in redevelopment proposals and that public access is encouraged • promote the restoration of the wooded farmland and parkland setting of Tyttenhanger Park and the creative incorporation of the restored wetlands for recreation and wildlife • promote the management of semi-natural woodlands, e.g. Coppice Wood and Garden Wood • maintain framed views to attractive natural and built features, including Shenley Ridge, Napsbury water tower and All Saints pastoral centre chapel

• Open arable fields towards Shenley Ridge (J. Billingsley)

pg 90 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment HIGH CANONS VALLEYS AND RIDGES summary assessment evaluation guidelines area21

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage Bishops Stortford

Hertford

Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 21

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS The area lies between Shenley Ridge to the north, • a series of narrow settled ridges of sinuous form Borehamwood to the south west and the A1/M25 to the • slopes to the south east comprise mainly medium to large south east. arable fields and more open character • slopes to the west and north east comprise a more intact LANDSCAPE CHARACTER landscape of small/medium pasture and numerous field An undulating series of close ridges and valleys. The ridges oaks have a well-treed character due to a combination of • woodland blocks and copses scattered throughout the woodland blocks, scattered trees and tall hedges. Individual area, both around houses and more extensively to the houses, farms and small settlements occupy the narrow west where they combine with mature parkland fingers of plateau overlooking the surrounding slopes of landscapes at the edge of Shenley Park and Porters Park both arable and pastoral landscapes, which often have a golf course contained character. • prominent built edge to Borehamwood and associated pylons dilute the rural character • good range and use of local building materials

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES • exposures of Hertfordshire 'puddingstone' (2 RIGS sites) • Rabley Park

• Holmshill Lane (HCC Landscape Unit)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 95 HIGH CANONS VALLEYS AND RIDGES summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 21

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The underlying geology of the slopes is Areas of informal medieval parkland survive, e.g. at High Tertiary clay overlaid by slowly permeable and seasonally Canons and Wood Hall where the parks roll over ridges and waterlogged soils with some brown subsoils (Windsor valleys. series). Locally, there are areas of fine loamy and silty soils Field pattern. Much of the area to the west still retains its over the clays. On the narrow plateau areas the geology is pre-18th century organic enclosure pattern with plateau and river-terrace drift. This is overlaid by slowly medium/small field sizes. Fields are often regular in form. permeable seasonally waterlogged coarse loamy, fine loamy Although in decline, the historic network of hedges and and fine silty over clayey soils (Essendon association). hedgerow trees is a strong feature, with rows of mature Topography. The narrow and sinuous plateau is almost oak trees often retained although the hedge has been level. Side slopes and narrow intervening valleys vary in removed. To the south east the pattern has been partially steepness. eroded with the creation of some 'prairie' fields, where the Degree of slope. Side slopes typically 1 in 20 but locally 1 combination of the loss of hedgerows, hedgerow trees, and in 15. Plateau less than 1 in 150. lack of new planting makes the landscape more open and Altitude range. Ridge range 125-132m. Slopes fall to 80m visually degraded. at Harper Lane in the north-west and 100m in south-east at Transport pattern. The pattern of narrow local sinuous the A1. lanes and roads has been largely retained with few 20th- Hydrology. The clay soils support numerous ponds on the century distractions. Verges are generally narrow but there plateau area, e.g. Wood Hall Farm, Kitwells Farm and High are some locally wide verges on Silver Hill. Canons. There are also a series of wells in association with Settlements and built form. The majority of settlement is these pond features. A number of streams rise on the clay located on the ridges and plateau areas in the form of and follow the series of valleys and slopes radiating from villages, e.g. Ridge and Shenley, or isolated houses and the areas in all directions to join the tributaries of the Colne farms. The exception is Rabley Park, where the settlement or Mimmshall Brook. These include Catherine Bourne to the pattern lies in the valley. Buildings utilise a wide range of north-east, which is dammed at Rabley Park to create vernacular materials including brick, clay tile, knapped flint, various ornamental water features. whitewash, black weatherboard and some thatch. These Land cover and land use. The predominant land use is include a number of sympathetic modern conversions. The pastoral, particularly on the plateau areas and the western buildings are generally well assimilated into the treed slopes. Pasture is primarily for horses, and often associated landscape. Orchard Mead is a group of almshouses by with stud farms, eg. Wood Hall Farm. Arable land use is George Gilbert Scott at Ridge. stronger on the slopes, particularly to the south east and south running down to the Arkley Plain. Although not extensive, woodland is often visually interlocking and serves to emphasise the narrow ridges. Areas of informal parkland strengthen the landscape character between the larger houses on the ridges and within the recreational land uses to the north west, including Porters Park golf course. Vegetation and wildlife. Natural woodland communities comprise an oak/hazel mix on the higher and wetter ground, with an oak/hornbeam mix where the ground is locally drier. Other local species of note are aspen in the valleys, and ash. There are both ancient woodlands, e.g. Hound's Wood, Big Pursley and Little Pursley Wood, and more recent plantation woodlands where softwood species are predominant, e.g The Gorse. Hedgerows are generally mixed and along the ridge areas. Species include field maple, hazel, hornbeam, hawthorn, elm and lime. Standard and hedgerow trees, mainly oak, are a particular feature of the area,e.g. south-west of Shenley. The London clay supports a number of species-rich neutral and neutral to acidic grasslands, e.g. at Lyndhurst and High Canons, with species including Ragged Robin.

pg 96 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment HIGH CANONS VALLEYS AND RIDGES summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 21

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The slopes and wooded skyline of the area are widely There is a good network of footpaths through the area and visible from outside. Locally the area has a strong sense of no disruption from 20th-century roads. Horse riding is a enclosure, both within the settled, well treed plateau and in major activity with frequent use of some bridleway routes, some of the more intimate valleys. To the south east there e.g. Packhorse Lane. This is likely to create seasonal is a more open and exposed character. The area has a problems for pedestrians on the heavy soils. Porters Park strong sense of cohesion and is relatively peaceful. golf course lies to the north west. Rarity and distinctiveness. The landscape type is relatively frequent in the county. The most distinctive elements are COMMUNITY VIEWS the treed and settled ridges. The greenbelt farm and parkland landscapes to the east and south of Shenley are valued for their distinctiveness (C). VISUAL IMPACT Otherwise, generally unremarked upon, this area includes The core of the area has suffered little from incursion of some aspects valued for distinctiveness (D). modern built development. There are a number of features on the perimeter. The northern edge of Borehamwood and LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS the associated pylons represent a raw edge to the rural Watling Chase Community Forest. landscape. Institutional developments on the ridge are Landscape Conservation Area (south of Radlett Lane and prominent from the south. Shenley Hospital water tower, north of Buckettsland Lane). although outside the area, is also a strong local landmark.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mature or young Impact of land cover: apparent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: variable Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: high Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: high Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 97 HIGH CANONS VALLEYS AND RIDGES summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 21

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE • support the Watling Chase Community Forest in the • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout realisation of its objectives for the area the area to provide visual and ecological links between • reinforce and emphasise the topography and pattern of existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow woodland and tree cover to the fingered ridgeline by historic field boundaries where possible and to reconnect new planting. Encourage extending planting along the rows of isolated field trees ridges to the east and the provision of habitat linkage • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed between isolated woodlands livestock/arable farming where possible • create woodland copses adjacent to intrusive features • promote both the creation of new ponds and the including the A1 and the built edge of Borehamwood. retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds Proposals should not emphasise the linear nature of the • encourage the re-use of existing agricultural buildings for existing boundaries but make use of field corners to give equestrian activity a natural character • promote the use of traditional hedged field enclosure • improve public access arrangements to woodlands and where land is converted to equestrian pasture or where links with rights of way fences have been introduced • promote the appropriate management of coppice • conserve unimproved and semi-improved neutral to acidic woodland in order to maintain a rich ground flora and grassland wherever possible, avoiding agricultural the distinction between different management systems improvements and overgrazing to maintain their nature such as high forest and coppice-with-standards conservation value • within historic informal parklands encourage reversion • traffic-calming measures, where considered necessary, from arable use to pasture and grassland, e.g. north of must be of a scale and design that relates to the local High Canons landscape character of the settlement • ensure new planting is encouraged to maintain age • promote the development and implementation of a diversity. Ensure landscape improvements respect the landscape management plan for Porters Park golf course historic context of existing features and the form and and other recreational areas. A high proportion of the character of parkland and gardens. Ornamental species total area should be dedicated to and maintained as should only be used to replace damaged or over-mature wildlife habitat, building upon established areas of specimens, where appropriate wildlife interest already present • resist ploughing of grasslands within parklands • promote the creation of buffer strips along watercourses to prevent pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer run-off and to provide habitat for wildlife; encourage their linkage to eco-corridors within the wider landscape • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive arable production and important semi-natural habitats and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats • encourage the establishment of wet native woodland species along watercourses to emphasize the features and improve biodiversity. Use locally indigenous species including aspen

• View north from Strangeways Farm (HCC Landscape Unit)

pg 98 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment NORTH MYMMS PARK AND REDWELL WOODS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area28

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage Bishops Stortford

Hertford

Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 28

LOCATION This area is situated south of Colney Heath, west of the A1(M) and includes the section of the Shenley Ridge east of the M25.

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER An area with strong historic continuity, combining parkland on the lower slopes with extensive woodlands on the slopes and crown of a pronounced ridge. Area of arable estate farmland to the south east.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS • pastoral parkland with mature trees • extensive woodland cover at Redwell Wood complex • Elizabethan house set in ornamental grounds • estate farmland associated with Home Farm

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES • bridge over seasonal upper Colne • swallowholes on ridge

North Mymms parkland • (J. Billingsley)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 123 NORTH MYMMS PARK AND REDWELL WOODS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 28

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The geology to the north of the area on There is a strong sense of historical continuity. North the flatter vale comprises Aeolian silty drift and till, with a Mymms Park was recorded as a medieval deer park as late mix of deep stoneless well-drained silty soils over gravel as 1766. The area extended up the slopes to the woods. (Hamble 2 series), and stoneless slowly permeable coarse Field pattern. The arable area to the south east associated loamy soils and silty soils over clay (Gresham series). On the with Home Farm comprises mainly pre-18th century organic elevated ridge the soils are slowly permeable and seasonally enclosure with some larger prairie fields which have been waterlogged with some brown subsoils (Windsor series) created since 1950. Fields are medium to large. The overlying Tertiary clay. parkland is open with occasional wire fencing. Topography. The northern area is gently undulating with a Transport pattern. The park is bounded by Tollgate Road shallow valley to the upper River Colne. To the south west to the north east. Elsewhere there are no public roads but a of the parkland the slopes rise significantly to the number of estate and woodland tracks. pronounced end of the Shenley Ridge, which has a number Settlements and built form. The settlement pattern is of secondary valleys. dominated by the estate. North Mymms House is an 'H' Degree of slope. Less than 1 in 40 over the parkland and plan Elizabethan house, set in the grounds of the medieval typically 1 in 14 on the wooded slopes. deer park. The main gardens were designed by Sir Ernest Altitude range. 75-90m within the parkland and up to George in the 1890s, while the rose garden and pergola 30m on the wooded ridge. garden were designed by the influential Victorian garden Hydrology. There are a number of springs, streams and designer, William Robinson. Other estate properties include associated swallowholes on the wooded ridge. In the Home Farm and the parish church of St Mary, around which parkland there are a few ponds. The acidic Colne rises to there is a cluster of traditional properties. Within Redwell the east as a seasonal overflow of the Mimmshall Brook, Wood isolated foresters' lodges have developed, e.g. Oak which disappears into a series of swallowholes near Water Lodge. End. The Colne bed is normally dry through the parkland but there is a fine ornamental bridge at the park entrance. OTHER SOURCES OF AREA-SPECIFIC Land cover and land use. The area comprises a mix of INFORMATION grazed parkland, woodland and arable. Within the parkland English Nature SSSI notification. there are areas of ley and arable between woodland Pevsner, N., rev. Cherry, B., Hertfordshire, Penguin (2000). plantations. Vegetation and wildlife. The natural woodland type on the acidic wet ridge is oak/hazel. To the south-east at Mymmshall Wood there is a transition towards hornbeam. Redwell Wood is an SSSI and a number of the other woods are ancient, including Cobs Ash and Hawkshead Wood. Species include ash, sycamore, field maple, holly, sweet chestnut and stands of conifers which include pine. Some of the woodlands are semi-natural with areas of wood-pasture origin and heath species in some of the woodland rides. Banks and ditches mark historic boundaries within the woods. Potwells, in the centre of the wood complex, is an area of secondary grassland, having been previously ploughed for set-aside. Within the parkland there are a number of fine mature oaks, and an avenue of lime trees more closely related to the house. Most of the boundaries of the park are marked by timber and stock-proof fencing. Where present, hedges tend to be hawthorn, elder and elm with individual field oaks.

pg 124 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment NORTH MYMMS PARK AND REDWELL WOODS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 28

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The woods are a prominent feature in this landscape, There are few rights of way across the parkland. However cloaking the horizon of the elevated ridge. The parkland is there are a number of routes including bridleways up to more locally visible, particularly from Tollgate Road where and through the Redwell Woods complex. These become there are some longer views through to the more open Vale wet and muddy after rain. of St Albans to the west. This is a largely contained area, with the most open aspects to the north and on the lower COMMUNITY VIEWS arable slopes to the east. Ancient woodland and plantations These are valued and distinctive parkland and woodland frame views, and in places provide a sense of confinement. landscapes (C). Despite the visual continuity of the vegetation and strength of landform the area is adversely affected by noise from the LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS M25 and A1(M). SSSI Redwell Woods. Rarity and distinctiveness. The combination of grazed Watling Chase Community Forest. parkland and extensive woodlands is rare in the county.

VISUAL IMPACT There are a number of detracting features within the landscape, of which the adjacent motorways are perhaps the most significant.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: insignificant Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: widespread Impact of historic pattern: continuous Management of semi-natural habitat: variable Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: intact Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: low Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: low Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 125 NORTH MYMMS PARK AND REDWELL WOODS summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 28

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: CONSERVE AND STRENGTHEN • prepare and implement a conservation and restoration • promote the expansion of woodland beyond ancient plan for the historic parkland. Scheme to fully address woodland boundaries, especially where this will help in landscape, historic and ecological issues creating habitat links and will not disturb historic features • restore historically appropriate and high-quality or valuable wildlife habitats boundaries to parkland, e.g. metal estate railings • establish realistic and attractive countryside management • promote recording and management of veteran trees for schemes for sites with heathland and acid grassland biodiversity value and visual amenity communities • encourage new planting to maintain structural and age • review public access arrangements to woodlands and diversity of the parkland trees. Landscape improvements parkland including low-key but enhanced car parks should respect the historic context of existing features • maintain local patterns of species diversity within and the form and character of the parkland and gardens. woodlands Ornamental species should only be used to replace • promote the continued use of stock grazing as the damaged or over-mature specimens, where appropriate preferred management for the parkland • within parklands, encourage the reversion from arable to • promote crop diversification and the retention/restoration pasture of mixed livestock/arable farming • restrict ploughing of grasslands within parklands • ensure a strong presumption against development within • encourage landowners to retain and increase ponds and or adjacent to the area and in particular that which could wetland areas to enhance their visual and wildlife lower the water table within river valleys and affect functions wetland habitats • encourage appropriate management measures to benefit • establish tree-planting measures to minimise the impact the upper reaches of the Colne of the M25 and A1(M) • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout the arable areas to provide visual and ecological links between existing and proposed woodland and parkland areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries where possible • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive arable production and important semi-natural habitats and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats • support the Watling Chase Community Forest in the realisation of its objectives for the area • promote appropriate woodland management for existing woodlands, including the replacement of softwoods with indigenous native deciduous communities and hedgebank management • ensure that a wooded skyline is preserved • promote the appropriate management of coppice woodland in order to re-establish a rich ground flora and the distinction between different management systems, such as high forest, coppice, coppice-with-standards and wood pasture

• Redwell Wood from the south (J. Billingsley)

pg 126 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment COLNEY HEATH FARMLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area30

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage

©Crown copyright Bishops Stortford All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council Hertford LA076678 Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 30

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area is located between London Colney and St Albans • medium-scale arable farmland in the west and Hatfield in the east. The A414 and Colney • subtle gently undulating landforms Heath mark the southern boundary and Hatfield aerodrome • severance by transport corridors, past and present the northern limit. • areas of semi-natural restored mineral workings • heath habitat at Colney Heath LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • urban development contains area physically but visually A medium-scale landscape contained by adjacent urban largely concealed areas and transport routes. There is a good network of hedges, field trees and tree belts to the urban areas that DISTINCTIVE FEATURES visually contain the largely arable character. Mineral • Smallford gravel pits extraction has created a number of disturbed and new • Alban Way landscapes that are still young. Areas of heath and semi- natural grassland are locally important at Colney Heath and Smallford gravel pits.

Colney Heath • (J. Billingsley)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 131 COLNEY HEATH FARMLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 30

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. To the east the geology comprises • At Smallford gravel pits an interesting and valuable Aeolian silty drift and till. The soils are deep stoneless well- mosaic of semi-improved grassland, scrub, ephemeral drained silty soils over gravel (Hamble 2 series). The gravels ponds and pockets of undisturbed species-rich were laid down in glacial lakes during the Ice Age by the acidic/neutral grassland has developed on old mineral 'proto-Thames'. To the west around Tyttenhanger the soils working sites that were 'poorly' restored with rubble. overlie a chalky till geology with calcareous subsoils in These areas have been grazed by gypsy horses to create places. Soils are deep, fine, loamy and clayey, with slow an interesting 'common'. The ponds contain great crested permeable subsoils and slight seasonal waterlogging newts, (BAP species). (Hornbeam 3 series). • At Sleapshyde, where the pits have not been filled there Topography. This is a subtle landform. To the west there is good marsh vegetation. There are also areas of are gentle undulations. To the east the landform is a naturally occurring bog communities. continuation of the De Havilland Plain and the land is virtually flat. The past mineral workings have produced HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES some minor local variations in landform. The open unenclosed heath of Colney Heath is the last Degree of slope. Typically less than 1 in 50 to the west, but remnant of the old manorial lands of Tyttenhanger, owned locally up to 1 in 25. Virtually flat to the east, c.1 in 500. by the abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries. The Altitude range. 75-86m to the west and 70 to 74 in the heath lay just outside the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan east. Police and was the haunt of highwaymen and the location Hydrology. The young and seasonal River Colne flows into of cockfights and prize fights. The inns around the heath the south of the area at Colney Heath, where it has been were all connected by a series of footpaths. artificially channelled across the common since the early Field pattern. The field pattern is mainly pre-18th century 20th century. There are also a number of seepage lines and organic enclosure which has largely been retained in areas spring lines in the heathy woodland. The agricultural land that have not been extracted. To the north of Colney Heath to the north is drained by a series of field ditches and then there is more evidence of parliamentary enclosure. In into Butterwick Brook and Ellenbrook, both of which flow contrast to the adjacent character areas of the Vale of St into the Colne within Tyttenhanger Park. There are a Albans and the De Havilland Plain, fields are medium in size number of waterbodies associated with the former mineral and irregular in shape. In areas that have not been subject workings, e.g. at Smallford gravel pits, and elsewhere there to mineral extraction, hedgerows are medium to tall, are scattered small ponds. particularly north of the A414, which creates a sense of Land cover and land use. The primary land use is arable enclosure from the adjacent urban areas and road corridors. farming with a pattern of treed farmland. There is a The extracted area north east of Colney Heath is more significant area of disturbed land, within which restoration open in character. has been variable in its extent and quality. Pasture is limited Transport pattern. The historic road pattern is of narrow in extent and confined to the edge of settlements. winding lanes within the farmed landscape. This has been Vegetation and wildlife. Woodlands are discrete and largely retained, although the area is divided by the linear comprise oak, ash and hornbeam. There are two ancient A414 dual carriageway. The Smallford Trail follows the line woods at Coppice Wood and Knight Wood that are a of a disused railway and is also a valuable wildlife corridor. natural oak/hazel mix. Either side of the A414 is a dramatic Settlements and built form. The traditional pattern is of avenue of hybrid poplars. On the north-west edge adjacent dispersed settlement. There are a number of clusters, to St Albans there are a number of tree belts that conceal including the older settlements of Tyttenhanger, Wilkins the extent of development behind, e.g. at the former Cell Green, Sleapshyde and Colney Heath. These have been Barnes Hospital. Some mineral restoration sites have lakes added to and, together with ribbon development and and new plantation areas, often willows and poplars. Hedge expansion from the adjacent urban areas, there is a sense species include hawthorn, elm and some holly. Field trees of urban pressure. There are a number of traditional are mainly oaks. buildings, using weatherboard, render and brick alongside • Colney Heath is an open area of common with both 20th-century materials. acidic woodland and acidic/neutral grassland communities. Species include hawthorn, gorse, bracken, foxgloves and oak, with alders lining the Colne.

pg 132 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment COLNEY HEATH FARMLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 30

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY Views both from outside and within the area are generally There is open public access to Colney Heath and a good well screened by roadside vegetation along both the narrow network of footpaths and the Albans Way/Smallford Trail lanes and the dual carriageways. The A414 and A1(M) within the area. Public access to Smallford gravel pits is provide a major source of noise and disruption. present but not well signed. There is angling at Smallford Rarity and distinctiveness. The landscape type is frequent gravel pits. with the heathy habitats being the most distinct features. COMMUNITY VIEWS VISUAL IMPACT The heathland landscapes are valued for their The extent of built development within and on the distinctiveness amidst an otherwise unremarked-upon perimeter of the area is generally well concealed by setting (D). vegetation. Exceptions are some of the large industrial units and glasshouses at Smallford and the A414. There is some LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS localised fly-tipping which is visually detrimental. Watling Chase Community Forest. LNR: Colney Heath Common.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mature or young Impact of land cover: apparent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: contained Impact of built development: moderate Visual unity: incoherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 133 COLNEY HEATH FARMLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 30

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE • support the Watling Chase Community Forest in the • develop appropriate management strategies to maintain realisation of its objectives for the area and improve the mosaic of wildlife habitats areas • promote the appropriate management of ancient including wetland and semi-improved grassland, in woodland, including Knights Wood, in order to maintain association with former mineral extraction sites. Include a rich ground flora and the distinction between different the continued use of grazing and management by wildlife management systems, such as high forest, coppice and organisations coppice-with-standards • promote the creation of valuable new nature • use ancient hedge and field boundaries to identify the conservation sites, the restoration of degraded sites most appropriate location for woodland restoration and associated with mineral extraction and addressing areas expansion of fly-tipping • promote new woodland planting to maintain and improve • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive visual separation from the adjacent urban uses and arable production and important semi-natural habitats transport corridors, including A414 and A1(M). Scale of and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats planting to typically comprise small woods, copses and • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed shelterbelts livestock/arable farming where possible • encourage effective landscape management along • encourage the restoration of ditches and discourage the transport corridors to ensure thinning, selective felling enclosure of existing open drainage systems and replanting is undertaken to achieve a varied age • provide new uncropped or grass field margins to link structure and locally indigenous species areas of wildlife importance and/or existing and proposed • reduce the visual impact of adjacent built areas, e.g. rights of way Smallford • promote both the creation of new ponds and the • improve public access and signing to areas of interest retention/enhancement of existing ponds for wildlife including the Alban Way (Smallford Trail) and Smallford • where ancient lanes and their associated hedgerows fall gravel pits. Provide stopping places along the Alban Way within or abut a proposed development ensure that for sitting and picnicking developers retain, protect, enhance and integrate such • encourage maintenance of the existing pattern and scale features into the new development with due regard to of hedgerows and field trees that provide enclosure their historic, ecological and landscape value • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout • where hedgerow removal is deemed to be unavoidable, the area to provide visual and ecological links between replacement planting should use locally native species of existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow local provenance to maintain local distinctiveness historic field boundaries where possible • encourage planting of new hedges adjacent to rights of way • support the retention and management of heath habitats including Colney Heath. Encourage opportunities of extending this habitat

• From Tyttenhanger towards St Albans (J. Billingsley)

pg 134 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment DE HAVILLAND PLAIN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area31

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage Bishops Stortford

Hertford

Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 31

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area runs from Cromerhyde in the north, southwards • an extensive level plain across Hatfield Aerodrome and up to the grounds of • large open arable landscape to the north on high quality Oaklands College on the edge of St Albans. agricultural land • disused Hatfield aerodrome with associated industrial and LANDSCAPE CHARACTER commercial development and aeronautical structures An area dominated and unified by the level topography yet • parkland and horticultural landscape of Oaklands College with a diverse mix of uses and an incoherent pattern. To the • existing and restored mineral workings north, arable cropping dominates, with open views, very • urban-fringe development and glasshouses few hedges or trees and only isolated farms. To the centre, • incoherent and jumbled landscape, particularly to the the disused Hatfield aerodrome and the new business park south and centre have visually dominant structures, together with areas of existing and redundant mineral extraction. To the south DISTINCTIVE FEATURES there is a mix of extraction, urban fringe development and • Oaklands College house Oaklands College, which has a disjointed and mixed • restored arable fields character. There is generally poor access within and to the • mineral extraction plant area.

De Havilland Plain • (HCC Landscape Unit)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 135 DE HAVILLAND PLAIN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 31

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The geology of the plain comprises Field pattern. The area only contains small parcels of Aeolian silty drift and till. To the centre of the area around remaining pre-18th century enclosure. The vast majority of the former airfield the soils are stoneless slowly permeable, the land has been disturbed over the last century. To the coarse loamy and silty over clay (Gresham series). north the extensive prairie fields are the result of Elsewhere the soils are deep stoneless well-drained silty soils agricultural intensification post-1950. To the south the over gravel (Hamble 2 series). enclosure pattern has been altered, either following or as a Topography. The plain is virtually flat and represents a result of extraction and restoration, although some of the subtle watershed between the Colne and the Lea. Levels mineral sites have been successfully restored to arable. Field vary by as little as 2-3m over 6km. The land rises locally to sizes are irregular and large to very large in size. the west and the south. Transport pattern. The area is crossed by a modest Degree of slope. Falls are often at less than 1 in 1000. number of sinuous secondary roads. Improved roads have Altitude range. Typically around the 80m contour but been built to service the Hatfield Business Park. falling to 70m at Ellenbrook and rising to 100m within the Settlements and built form. There is a very dispersed undulating grounds of Oaklands College on the edge of St estate settlement pattern with a small number of isolated Albans. farmsteads, e.g. Cromerhyde Farm in the north and Beech Hydrology. The area is drained by a number of streams: Farm in the south. Astwick Manor is a medieval moated Astwick Manor Ditch, Nast (culverted), Ellen Brook and site. The area is as empty as it is flat. To the south Oaklands Butterwick Brook. These flow slowly to the east to connect College is centred on the Victorian house (1888) and with the River Colne in the south or the River Lea in the modest parkland and now has a range of ancillary buildings. north east. Groundwater locally affects the soils and there To the east the area is defined by the western edge of are a few ponds within the agricultural landscape or the Hatfield, including the large aircraft hangers and residential woods, e.g. Home Covert. Mineral extraction has lead to areas including Hatfield Garden Village, Stanborough and the creation of a number of larger waterbodies, some with Ellenbrook. Following the closure of the airfield, the Hatfield wildlife interest. Business Park has established. Retail, horticultural and Land cover and land use. The major land cover to the industrial premises dominate to the south of Oaklands. The north is arable cropping. There are active areas of sand and major landmark to the north is Lemsford parish church of St gravel extraction, e.g. Astwick Manor, together with areas John the Evangelist. that have been restored to pasture and arable. The airfield site has extensive areas of grassland and considerable built development. Oaklands College has a mix of land uses, including a small area of parkland. Vegetation and wildlife. There is very limited woodland cover. Home Wood within Oaklands College is ancient natural oak/hornbeam woodland, with ash, sycamore and lime standards and some hazel. Some of the other woods support ancient woodland indicator species, e.g Home Covert and Oak Wood. There are some younger plantings associated with mineral restoration sites which usually comprise willow and poplars. The modest parkland grounds of Oaklands have some mature specimen trees including lime, oak and copper beech. Some of the former mineral workings support a mix of flooded gravel pits, scrub and marshland habitats, e.g. Oaklands gravel pit, and have a diverse flora including the southern marsh orchid. There are few hedgerows except to some of the roads, where they have often grown out and include hawthorn and elm. There are very few isolated field trees and these are generally over-mature. The open field pattern to the north is an important site for wintering golden plover.

pg 136 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment DE HAVILLAND PLAIN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 31

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY This is largely an open and exposed landscape which There are few rights of way across the area, partly due to nonetheless has a private and remote feel in places. It is aviation uses in the past. clearly visible from a number of more elevated locations outside the area. Within the area there are views of the COMMUNITY VIEWS arable landscape from the local roads, including Coopers There is insignificant evidence from the MORI survey that Green Lane and Green Lane. To the middle, tall hedges, this area is widely valued as a distinctive landscape. crude earth bunds and modern built development restrict or However, the area includes some features of value to the frame views of this rather incoherent landscape. Within local community. A previous more detailed landscape Oaklands many of the views are contained. character study of this area identified these to be associated Rarity and distinctiveness. The area is most unusual due with the history of aviation land use, hence the area to its flatness and open character. name (D).

VISUAL IMPACT LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS The major intrusive built elements within the area are the The area north west of Coopers Green Lane is a Landscape Hatfield Business Park warehouses. Other significant Conservation Area. features are to the eastern fringes and include the former De Havilland flight sheds and control tower. Localised items are the batching plant on Oaklands Lane, glasshouses and nurseries. Over much of the area there is a sense of semi- dereliction or poor management. There has been extensive land-use change and little of the original pattern remains. Changes have been from arable to mineral and also from mineral to arable and pasture. Some of the workings are poorly screened.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: over-mature Impact of land cover: apparent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: relic Impact of historic pattern: relic Management of semi-natural habitat: poor Visibility from outside: widely visible Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: open Impact of built development: high Visual unity: incoherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 137 DE HAVILLAND PLAIN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 31

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds CHANGE: IMPROVE AND RESTORE • develop a new landscape character in the disturbed and (It should be noted that part of this area is now incoherent areas to the south subject to agreed extensive redevelopment proposals • screen/soften the visually intrusive built features on the which will influence the achievement of the perimeter and within the area including the Hatfield following landscape-led guidelines) Business Park and the Hatfield aerodrome • improve the poor existing network of rights of way over • support the Watling Chase Community Forest in the the area and develop opportunities for rights of way realisation of its objectives for the area linkages alongside hedges, streams, water features, • retain the characteristic large-scale openness to the north arable areas, airfield land and restored mineral workings of the area (which is most unusual for the southern part • develop a strategy to enhance the parkland setting of of the county) but with a restored structure of hedges, Oaklands College within the context of the existing ditches and woodland blocks horticultural uses. Remove urbanising features and • retain long views where possible to appreciate the flat inappropriate planting, e.g. Leyland cypress. landform • improve the treatment of screen bunding to the • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout perimeter of and within mineral sites by more the area to provide visual and ecological links between sympathetic profiles, heights and the use of green existing and proposed woodlands. Pattern to follow mulches. Provide advanced planting where appropriate to historic field boundaries where possible. Hedges to provide a permanent contribution to the landscape include standard trees framework • promote the appropriate management of existing • focus attention to screen plant within minerals areas woodland in order to maintain a rich ground flora and • improve the restoration of past mineral sites the distinction between different management systems, • develop appropriate management strategies to maintain such as high forest and coppice-with-standards and improve the mosaic of wildlife habitats areas, • promote the planting of new small to medium including wetland and semi-improved grassland, in woodlands, particularly on areas of restored mineral association with former mineral extraction sites. Include extraction to the centre and south the continued use of grazing and management by wildlife • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive organisations arable production and important semi-natural habitats and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed livestock/arable farming where possible • encourage the restoration of ditches and discourage the enclosure of existing open drainage systems • provide new uncropped or grass field margins to link areas of wildlife importance and/or existing and proposed rights of way • promote the creation of buffer strips along watercourses to prevent pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer run-off and provide habitat for wildlife; encourage their linkage to eco-corridors within the wider landscape • promote both the creation of new ponds and the

• Disused Hatfield aerodrome (J. Billingsley)

pg 138 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment SYMONDSHYDE RIDGE summary assessment evaluation guidelines area32

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage

Bishops Stortford

Hertford

Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 32

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area runs from the Lea Valley east of • extensive woodland areas on eastern slopes Wheathampstead, southwards to St Albans. • small settlements and individual properties well assimilated into the landscape LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • large arable fields with relic hedgerows An undulating north/south ridge with dominant arable land • narrow lanes (some sunken) with hedgebanks cover. To the north and east both extensive ancient and • distant views to south east, west and north discrete plantation woodlands create a contained and coherent landscape. To the west and south the landscape is DISTINCTIVE FEATURES much more open with extensive and distant views to and • wireless station masts on ridge to south from the area. There is a quiet and detached feel .The • massive Iron Age ditches (including Devil's Dyke) sparse farmsteads, narrow twisting lanes with hedgebanks • chalk pits and the wooded enclosure of Coleman Green add to the • pick-your-own-fruit farm relaxed character.

Devil's Dyke • (J. Billingsley)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 139 SYMONDSHYDE RIDGE summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 32

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The local geology is a chalky till, with Just outside Wheathampstead are massive late Iron Age deep fine loamy over clayey and clayey soils with slowly ditches including Devils Dyke. Symondshyde derives its permeable subsoils and slight seasonal waterlogging name in part from a 'hyde', a 120-acre Saxon free (Hornbeam 3 series). Calcareous subsoils exist in places. tenement. John Bunyan is recorded to have visited a Topography. The area comprises a moderate ridge 4km in cottage at Coleman Green. length from north to south and 2km from east to west. The Field pattern. The historic field pattern varies. To the north landform gently undulates with some stronger valley and east the mainly pre-18th century organic enclosure features to the north. There are a number of chalk pits, e.g. pattern is largely intact, although hedgerow loss makes the Chalk Dell Farm. area seem more open. Field units are generally irregular in Degree of slope. 1 in 25 to 1 in 40 on the slopes and less shape and medium to large in size. There has been some than 1 in 100 along the ridge. limited enlargement to prairie fields. To the south and east Altitude range. 81-96m on the perimeter and 111-119m there is an historic pattern of parliamentary enclosure, on the ridgeline. which has subsequently been extensively altered by both Hydrology. A few springs rise on the slopes, e.g. Dogsheart 20th-century enclosure and a loss of former boundaries Spring and Pearman's Spring. Local woods also suggest from post-1950 enlargements. springs rising, eg. Long Spring Grove and Wet Grove. To Transport pattern. The transport pattern comprises narrow the south east of the 'Belgic Oppidum' a series of linear winding lanes twisting slowly across the landform. ponds follow a shallow valley to the north and then part of Settlements and built form. The settlement pattern is the manmade earthworks at 'The Slad'. There are some sparse and scattered. There is one small hamlet at ponds and wells associated with farmsteads. Coleman's Green which with its now regenerated wooded Land cover and land use. The primary land use is arable common has a secluded feel. There is a mix of building farming on both the slopes and the narrow plateau. materials, including red and gault brick, timber frame and Woodland is the major secondary land use to the eastern clay tile. There are no notable large houses and most are and northern slopes. Small areas of pasture for cattle and well integrated into the wooded arable landscape. horses remain in association with farmsteads, e.g. Fairfold's Farm and Symondshyde Farm. Poor hedges have often been replaced by fencing, which gives a temporary feel. Vegetation and wildlife. Extensive woods include Symondshyde, Furze Field, Chalk Dell and Titnol's Woods, many of them ancient with a natural acidic oak/hornbeam/birch mix. Sessile oak is also a feature of the woods, planted by the Gascoigne-Cecil Estate. Ash and oak form wood banks to the edges. Coppice is a feature to the north west of the area. At Symondshyde areas of botanically rich remnant heath survive in the rides. Plantations have also been added to either connect with the ancient woods or as discrete areas, e.g. David's Dingle. There is a large proportion of softwoods (both larch and pine) throughout and these are actively managed. The fine mature lime avenue from Brocket Hall terminates at Benstead's Wood. At Coleman Green there are areas of heathy grassland, but much of the area has reverted to semi-natural woodland. The hedges are variable, being locally prominent on hedgebanks with the underlying gravels often visible in some of the lanes. In contrast there has been extensive hedge removal in the fields, and those that do exist are relic and in a state of decline. Hedgerow species are mixed and include hornbeam, field maple, holly, elm and some bracken to the small plateau area. Hedgerow trees include oak, ash and holly.

pg 140 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment SYMONDSHYDE RIDGE summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 32

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY This moderately elevated area is visible from the There is a moderate network of rights of way, particularly surrounding landscape with the woods forming a key to the east. The Hertfordshire Way passes through the area. feature from the east. The more open farmland to the Symondshyde Woods, run by Countryside Management south is particularly visible from the edge of St.Albans. Services provide informal recreation opportunities including Within the area the views are framed and generally parking and picnic facilities. contained by hedgerows, woodland and the undulating landform. From the south of the area near Nashe's Farm COMMUNITY VIEWS there are distant views across the Vale of St Albans and as This area generally appears not to be valued for its far as the Shenley Ridge. distinctiveness, except for the wooded landscapes around Rarity and distinctiveness. This landscape type is frequent. Symonshyde (C). Its most distinctive feature is the quiet relaxed character. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS VISUAL IMPACT Landscape Conservation Area (part). There has been a widespread shift from pasture to arable, SAM: Wheathampstead earthwork (including Devil's Dyke but there are very few detracting elements in the and The Slad). landscape. The exceptions are the radio masts to the south, temporary earth bunding at Sutton's Farm and the built edge of St Albans to the south. Areas of fly-tipping at Symondshyde detract from the woods. Chalk Dell Fruit Farm off Marford Road has a strong visual impact with its ordered narrow plots contrasting with the surrounding arable areas.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mature or young Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: moderate Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: high Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 141 SYMONDSHYDE RIDGE summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 32

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE • extend the network of woodlands to the south and west • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed of the area, including plantations to screen the built edge livestock/arable farming where possible of St Albans, reduce the impact of masts and mitigate the • promote both the creation of new ponds and the impact of mineral extraction retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds • within existing woodlands encourage the replacement of • promote the use of traditional hedged field enclosure in softwoods with indigenous native deciduous communities place of timber or wire fencing where land is converted • maintain and extend public access arrangements to to pasture woodlands with improvements to car park design and • protect the traditional pattern of local lanes, hedgebanks, public safety verges and hedges as a local feature and wildlife resource • promote the appropriate management of coppice • maintain the peaceful qualities of the area and protect it woodland in order to maintain a rich ground flora and from active recreation and development the distinction between different management systems, such as high forest, coppice, coppice-with-standards and wood pasture • encourage heath habitats within woodlands by creating glades and maintaining open rides • promote the expansion of woodland beyond ancient woodland boundaries, especially where this will help in creating habitat links • promote management plans for Coleman Green to maintain a balance between wildlife and public access. Promote local initiatives for traditional management to create areas of acidic heath • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive arable production and important semi-natural habitats and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout the area to provide visual and ecological links between existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries and/or rights of way and to include additional hedgerow trees

• Lane near Coleman Green (HCC Landscape Unit)

pg 142 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment UPPER LEA VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines 33*area

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage Bishops Stortford

Hertford

Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans

Watford area 33

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area follows the course of the River Lea between Luton • narrow and meandering river corridor Hoo in the west and Lemsford in the east. • strong slopes to north and south, particularly west of Wheathampstead LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • golf courses to the valley sides, including in parkland and A marked valley form with a narrow river corridor. Arable woodland settings cropping dominates on the slopes. A good number of estate • major historic park at Brocket Park woodlands creates a mature wooded feel to the east. • discrete estate groupings of estate and plantation Parklands are a notable feature making use of both slopes woodland and the river valley. Conversion to golf courses has been • Ayot Greenway footpath successful, while there is visual impact from 20th-century • deep sunken lanes to valley sides exposing the chalk settlements. • intrusive built edge of settlements

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES • ford crossing Waterend House and cottage on Waterend Lane • lime avenue from Brocket Park across Marlford Road (B653) • former Blackbridge Tip mineral workings on Codicote Road • Brocket Hall with veteran trees in parkland

Lea valley from David's Dingle • (J. Billingsley)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 143 UPPER LEA VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 33

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES where field oaks are left stranded in a sea of crops. Where Geology and soils. The geology of this section of river present, hedges are medium to tall and comprise hazel, corridor is glaciofluvial drift overlaid by deep well-drained hornbeam, hawthorn, field maple, ash, elm and a number fine loamy, coarse loamy and sandy soils, which are locally of distinctive holly standards. Semi-improved neutral to flinty and in places over gravel (Ludford association). There calcareous grasslands on the banks of the river provide is a slight risk of water erosion. Upstream from good wildlife habitat and grazing. Water voles are present Wheathampstead the geology is plateau drift over clay- east of Wheathampstead, although they are in decline. with-flints. These soils are fine silty over clayey and fine Within Brocket Park there are areas of semi-natural alder loamy over clayey soils with slowly permeable subsoils along the river. (Batcombe series). There are also some well-drained clayey soils over chalk and varying amounts of flint. HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Topography. The narrow river corridor meanders through The land around Wheathampstead was granted to the area, typically only 50m wide. The slopes to the south Westminster Abbey by Edward the Confessor in 1060. The are relatively consistent while to the north there are more Abbey Manor controlled the open fields along the Lea. marked undulations and a series of secondary valleys Within the vicinity there are numerous 'Ends' and 'Greens' reaching up into the plateau landform. which are hamlets created in the piecemeal clearances of Degree of slope. Less than 1 in 500 along river. Slopes the woodland reaching out from Wheathampstead, e.g. vary between 1 in 12 and 1 in 18. Mackerye End and Waterend. Altitude range. River corridor falls from 85m at Harpenden The major house in the area is Brocket Hall, bought by Sir to 75m at Lemsford. Side slopes rise up to 120m. Matthew Lamb and rebuilt by James Paine between 1760 Hydrology. The River Lea meanders along the narrow and 1775. The exterior is a simple large square of red brick. floodplain but is rarely very prominent. Upstream of the The grounds were laid out by Joseph Wood and contain a area the river quality is affected by outfalls from the Luton stable block, walled garden with octagonal greenhouses, sewage works which cause eutrophication. However, the entrance gates at Lemsford and a fine ornamental bridge most diverse upper reaches of the Lea are close to and cascade over the dammed River Lea. The undulating Wheathampstead. The main areas of interest adjacent to grounds contain areas of wood pasture on the upper acidic the river are small areas of derelict land and wet/marshy slopes and many fine specimen trees in the parkland, grassland, the most important of these being Hyde Mill. To including a cedar from the 18th century and many veteran the east there is a medium to fast water flow over a gravel oaks. Perimeter shelterbelts, still in good condition, contain river bed which supports a range of coarse fish species the site and comprise sweet chestnut/oak, pine and beech. including the barbel. The river is crossed by a ford of An impressive lime avenue extends south west from the Roman origin at Waterend, and at Brocket Park it is house, which later became the home of two prime dammed to create an artificial lake. There are few streams ministers, Lords Melbourne and Palmerstone. on the chalky side slopes, Marshall Heath Lane being the Field pattern. The historic land-use pattern consists of a exception. The Environment Agency's River Quality mix of pre-18th century organic, informal parkland and classification for the River Lea at New Mill End is "Fairly some co-axial enclosure along the line of the disused Good" and at East Hyde it is "Good". The classification for railway. This range still exists but there has been a move to the River Lea at Wheathampstead is "Good". field enlargement for arable production. Fields are large and Land cover and land use. Arable cropping is the dominant irregular within the arable areas. land use. Secondary uses include pastoral near settlements, Transport pattern. Winding and often sunken lanes woodland, and recreation in the form of three golf courses. characterise the area with the underlying chalk and gravels Within the narrow river corridor there is an almost partially exposed. Associated verges are generally narrow, continuous band of meadow pasture with grazing and apart from areas of former heath, e.g. Marshalls Heath, groups of riparian trees, including poplars and willows. where there is secondary regeneration. Both the B653 and There are a number of parkland landscapes, mostly now the Ayot Greenway follow the valley, on opposite sides, the used as golf courses, including those at Brocket Park and latter following the line of a disused railway. Aldwyckbury near Harpenden. Settlements and built form. The historic settlement Vegetation and wildlife. Woodlands are a mix of ancient pattern is a sparse estate character. Traditional buildings are woods, including Gray's Wood and Piggottshill Wood, and therefore scarce but varied and comprise good examples in estate plantations, e.g. in association with Brocket Park. The brick, (e.g. the Jacobean manor house at Waterend), wattle main woodland type is oak/hornbeam. Other species and daub, knapped flint, and render. The exception to this include beech and ash, with pine and larch common in the pattern is Wheathampstead, which is an early nucleated plantation areas. At Lamer Park there are coniferous village of Saxon origin. Wheathampstead church is an commercial stands on the lighter loamy soils, and at important landmark built in flint and with a narrow lead Blackbridge Tip heathy habitats are associated with the light spire. Along the Lea valley there are also a number of 20th- soils, with gorse and bracken present. century developments, many of which are poorly integrated There has been both loss and dereliction of hedgerows, visually, e.g. Lea Valley and parts of Wheathampstead. particularly on the slopes north west of Wheathampstead,

pg 144 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment UPPER LEA VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 33

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY There are extensive views into the area from the adjacent There are two waymarked footpaths: the Upper Lea Valley plateau areas and in particular from the B653/Marford Walk and the Ayot Greenway. The former partly follows the Road. Views along the valley are locally interrupted by belts river corridor but also rises up onto the slopes. The latter of trees and small woodlands around the parks. The A1(M) follows the line of the disused railway and has a picnic site (although outside the area) and the B653 create significant near Robinson's Wood. The remaining areas have moderate noise intrusion into Brocket Park and parts of the valley, but footpath provision including Brocket Park with two routes. away from the roads this is a peaceful area. Other facilities include Cherry Tree stables and angling. Rarity and distinctiveness. This landscape type is frequent in the county. The distinctive feature is Brocket Park. COMMUNITY VIEWS A variety of aspects are regarded as contributing to the VISUAL IMPACT value of this distinctive landscape, including the historical The major visual impacts are localised and comprise the associations. The parkland and waterside landscapes are built edge of the settlements including Wheathampstead, particularly valued (C). the Folly, Batford and Lea Valley. Locally intrusive features include the chainlink fencing to the golf course at Brocket LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS Park and the poor and unwelcoming car park to the Landscape Conservation Area. Blackbridge Tip on Codicote Road. The conversion of English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens: Brocket parklands and woodland areas to golf courses has generally Park (Grade II). been successful, with sympathetic new planting and management of the historic landscapes. The loss of field boundaries to arable has been more damaging.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mature or young Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: variable Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: low Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: low Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 145 UPPER LEA VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 33

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE • improve the network of woods within the open arable • encourage the creation of wetland landscape features landscape between Wheathampstead and Harpenden by such as reed beds, ponds, scrapes, alders and pollarded planting on the tops of the slopes to emphasise the willows valley form and to screen the raw built edges of 20th- • improve the management of old meadows and pastures century development by ceasing fertiliser and herbicide application and • use ancient hedge and field boundaries to identify the introducing sensitive grassland management such as late most appropriate location for woodland restoration and hay cutting or low-density livestock grazing expansion • promote hedgerow restoration and creation in arable and • promote the appropriate management of woodland in pastoral areas to provide visual and ecological links order to maintain a rich ground flora and the distinction between existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern between different management systems, such as high to follow historic field boundaries where possible forest and coppice-with-standards. Within Lamer Park • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed maintain the distinctive pattern of coniferous plantations livestock/arable farming where possible on the lighter soils • promote hedgerow restoration through locally • provide a strategy for the enhanced restoration of appropriate measures including coppicing, laying and Blackbridge Tip. Include enhanced parking, interpretation replanting/gapping-up and links with the Ayot Greenway • support improved access along the river corridor with • support the continued restoration and management of more links to the river itself Brocket Park in conjunction with existing uses. Scheme to • ensure that the three golf courses in the area are fully address landscape, historic and ecological issues. designed and managed to respect their distinctive Ensure new planting is encouraged to maintain age locations. Particular attention should be given to ensure diversity. Survey and manage parkland and veteran trees earthwork proposals complement the natural landform for biodiversity value. Ornamental species should only be patterns. A high proportion of the total area should be used to replace damaged or over-mature specimens. dedicated to and maintained as wildlife habitat, building Hard landscaping details such as steps, balustrades, pond upon established areas of wildlife interest already present copings, statuary and urns and boundary fencing should • maintain and develop the traditional pattern of roadside be conserved. Replacements should be in facsimile and in verges, sunken lanes and hedgebanks as a local feature natural materials. Chainlink fencing to be discouraged and a wildlife resource • resist the targeting of redundant or derelict pasture for development • promote the re-introduction of permanent pasture and flooding regimes as normal agricultural practices along the Lea to increase landscape and habitat diversity • promote the creation of buffer strips along watercourses, including the River Lea to prevent pesticide, herbicide and fertiliser run-off and to provide habitat for wildlife; encourage their linkage to eco-corridors within the wider landscape

• Bridge and weir at Brocket Park (J. Billingsley)

pg 146 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment BLACKMORE END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area34

area 34

Knebworth

Welwyn District map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA

Welwyn ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Garden City Welwyn Hatfield Council

LA100019547 2005

Hatfield

Brookmans Park

Cuffley

Potters Bar

LOCATION DISTINCTIVE FEATURES This area lies between Harpenden in the west, Welwyn in • Ayot St Lawrence ruined church the east and is north of the valley of the River Lea. • Mackerye End and gardens • Shaws Corner (National Trust) LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • junipers on Gustard Wood Common golf course An elevated plateau area with extensive arable fields. Despite recent landscape change there is a strong sense of continuity closer to the settlements and around some of the notable historic houses and parklands. The area has a tranquil and remote feel with good opportunities for informal recreation.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS • elevated plateau area dominated by large arable fields • smaller pastoral fields closer to villages • linear and discrete woodlands, many ancient, scattered through area • villages with strong vernacular architecture • remote quiet area with few detracting features • historic houses and modest areas of parkland • areas of regenerated common

Ayot St Lawrence ruined church • (J. Billingsley)

Welwyn Hatfield Landscape Character Assessment pg 37 BLACKMORE END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 34

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. Soils are fine silty over clayey and fine Ayot St Lawrence dates from the late Saxon period. The loamy over clayey soils with slowly permeable subsoils and most famous resident of the village was the playright slight seasonal waterlogging (Batcombe series). There are George Bernard Shaw, who lived at The New Rectory, now also some well-drained clayey soils over chalk and variable Shaw's Corner, for almost 50 years. From the small garden amounts of flint. The underlying geology is plateau drift house overlooking the landscape he wrote many of his later and clay-with-flints. Locally, pockets of chalk have been works, including Pygmalion and St Joan. The property is recorded, e.g. at Priors Wood. now open to the public through the National Trust and each Topography. The plateau area extends for a distance of July a series of short plays are put on by the Shaw Society. 6km from east to west with a series of secondary spurs Field pattern. The historic agricultural landscape pattern pushing to the north and south. The plateau is almost flat. consists of pre-18th century organic enclosure. This pattern Degree of slope. Minimal, typically less than 1 in 250 is partly retained to the south, although field amalgamation across the plateau. has taken place in recent decades, particularly in the arable Altitude range. 120-130m. areas to the north. Field sizes are typically large and Hydrology. There are no significant streams. There are, irregular in shape. Commons have either regenerated to however, a number of small ponds associated with the secondary woodland or been used for recreation, e.g. farms, houses or common areas. Gustard Common. Land cover and land use. The dominant land use is arable Transport pattern. In the network of minor roads and farming. Closer to the settlements there are smaller areas of lanes some are straight, e.g. The Slype, while the majority pasture, mainly for horses, but also for sheep and goats. are narrow and winding. Woodlands are scattered, with concentrations around the Settlements and built form. This area has a dispersed and settlements. Parkland is a more local feature of the land settled character with a number of mature country houses cover, e.g. Ayot Park and Lamer Park. and farmhouses in traditional vernacular materials, including Vegetation and wildlife. Woodlands are scattered and brick and timber frame. discrete and include both ancient woods, e.g. Priors Wood, • Ayot St Lawrence is a delightfully cohesive village with Hall Wood and Marshall Wood, plantations and areas of considerable variety in architectural styles, including regenerated common, e.g. Bower Heath. The main timber frame, Tudor and diamond-paned windows. The woodland type is oak/hornbeam, with some beech where largest house is Ayot House, a Queen Anne red brick the chalk is closer to the surface. Understorey species are building with a late-18th century parkland. A key feature mainly holly and hawthorn. On some of the ancient of the park is New St Lawrence church, designed by woodland boundaries enormous multi-stemmed beech Nicholas Revitt in 1778-89 in flamboyant neo-Classical pollards create imposing character trees. Within the woods style to face the west elevation of the house. The original there are natural colonies of native daffodils. parish church still stands as a picturesque ruin in the Hedgerows are variable in condition and often gappy and village, its complete demolition by Lionel Lyde having occasionally infilled by fencing. Where present, hedges are been halted by the Bishop of Lincoln. medium in height and mixed in composition, including elm, • Mackerye End is a house of distinction, dating back to hornbeam, field maple, ash, privet and holly. A particular Tudor times. Its cupola bell tower is a local landmark. The feature of note is the number of holly standards that have essayist Charles Lamb described a nostalgic visit to the been allowed to grow out. Also of particular note is Gustard house that was one of his childhood haunts. Wood Common, an isolated unenclosed common currently managed by Mid Herts Golf Club. The acidic glacial gravel OTHER SOURCES OF AREA-SPECIFIC soils support acid grassland and a wide range of species, INFORMATION most notably juniper, including specimens over 6m tall. English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

pg 38 Welwyn Hatfield Landscape Character Assessment BLACKMORE END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 34

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY This area is only locally visible from surrounding areas due There is a good network of local footpaths and bridleways to the level and elevated landform. It is a generally to the south of the area. The quiet lanes also provide good coherent landscape with some areas unified and contained opportunities for cycling and horse riding. Shaw's Corner is while others are downgraded by the impact of extensive a popular destination in the summer. arablisation and with open and exposed views over the area. The area is particularly peaceful, a feature that drew COMMUNITY VIEWS George Bernard Shaw to the area. This area contains landscapes that are very highly regarded Rarity and distinctiveness. This landscape type is frequent for their distinctiveness and historical and literary in the county. The most distinctive elements are the historic associations, including the woods, fields, commons and village of Ayot St Lawrence and Gustard Wood Common. villages at Ayot St Lawrence, Gustard Wood and Mackerye End/Marshalls Heath (B). VISUAL IMPACT There are very few built detracting features and a number LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS of fine local buildings of note. The 20th-century Blackmore English Heritage Grade II listed: Ayot Park. End is the largest settlement in the area but is visually well screened by perimeter tree belts.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mature Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: low Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: high Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

Welwyn Hatfield Landscape Character Assessment pg 39 BLACKMORE END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 34

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE • extend the network of woodlands across the plateau. • support the preparation of a restoration and management Promote the expansion of woodland beyond ancient plans for the parkland landscapes including Ayot Park and woodland boundaries, especially where this will help in Mackerye End, ensuring that schemes fully address creating habitat links across arable areas landscape, historic and ecological issues. Ensure new • maintain and extend the rights of way across the area planting is encouraged to maintain age diversity • promote the appropriate management of woodland in • promote both the creation of new ponds and the order to maintain a rich ground flora and the distinction retention/enhancement of existing ponds for wildlife between different management systems, such as high • promote the use of traditional hedged field enclosure for forest and coppice-with-standards pasture in place of timber or wire fencing • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive • protect the traditional pattern of local lanes and the arable production and important semi-natural habitats associated features, including hedgebanks, sunken lanes, and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats verges and hedges • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout • maintain the tranquil qualities of the area while allowing the area to provide visual and ecological links between access for visitors to focal points like Ayot St. Lawrence. existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow Protect the area from further active recreational facilities historic field boundaries and/or rights of way and to and built development include additional hedgerow trees • maintain the local pattern of hedgerows and species, including the presence of holly standards • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed livestock/arable farming where possible • support the continued management of Gustard Wood Common as both a golf course and an important acidic grassland • promote the management of areas of acidic heath that have reverted to secondary woodland, e.g. Bower Heath. Maintain a balance between wildlife and public access and promote local initiatives for traditional management

• Holly standards on The Slype (J. Billingsley)

pg 40 Welwyn Hatfield Landscape Character Assessment AYOT ST PETER WOODED UPLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area35

County map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage

©Crown copyright Bishops All rights Stortford reserved. Hertfordshire County Council Hertford LA076678 Hemel Hatfield Hempstead St Albans area 35

Watford

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area lies north west of Welwyn Garden City, south of • elevated plateau area the River Mimram and south west of Welwyn. • extensive woodlands and plantations • arable fields predominate between woodlands and to the LANDSCAPE CHARACTER north A modest plateau area and series of secondary valleys, with • small to medium pockets of pastoral fields close to and a high proportion of woodland enclosing historic villages within villages and parklands. Arable cropping predominates between the • villages with strong vernacular architecture woodlands and particularly as the slopes run down towards • historic houses and areas of wooded parkland, the Mimram valley in the north. There is a strong sense of e.g.Sherrardspark historic continuity close to the settlements, woodlands and around historic houses and parklands. The area is disturbed DISTINCTIVE FEATURES physically and audibly by the A1(M). • Ayot Green village green with fine veteran oaks • St Peters church. • Ayot Greenway - former railway line, now footpath • Ayot Mountfitchet gatehouse and pedestrian access

Ayot Green • (J. Billingsley)

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 151 AYOT ST PETER WOODED UPLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 35

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES • Hedgerows are present along roads, yet seldom as field Geology and soils. On the upstanding areas the soils are boundaries. They are medium in height and of mixed deep fine loamy over clayey and clayey with slowly species, including elm, hawthorn, hazel, hornbeam and permeable subsoils (Hornbeam 3 series). These overlie a field maple, with some holly standards and boundary chalky till. Calcareous subsoils exist in places, with some oaks. There are also a number of poplars within the chalk pits. Locally at Sherrardspark Wood there is a mixture villages. of soils including chalk and some acidic gravels. • An area of particular note is Ayot Green which has some Topography. The organic plateau area is approximately magnificent veteran oak trees and chestnuts. 3km east/west, and 1km north/south. The plateau undulates very gently , with a number of secondary valleys HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES cutting into the plateau on the side slopes. The northern Field pattern. The historic agricultural landscape pattern slopes to the Mimram are more pronounced. comprised informal parkland, pre-18th century organic Degree of slope. Less than 1 in 100 on the plateau. The enclosure and parliamentary enclosure from the 18th side slopes are typically 1 in 10 but can be as steep as 1 in century. This pattern is partially retained, but field 6 in the secondary valleys. amalgamation has taken place in recent decades, Altitude range. Plateau areas range between 119-128m; particularly in the arable areas to the north. Field sizes are slopes down to 70m at the Mimram. medium on the plateau and larger on the northern slopes. Hydrology. There are a significant number of small ponds There has been a shift from pasture to larger arable fields associated with the farms, houses or along the lanes, e.g. around the villages. White Hill. A number of springs rise on the northern slopes, Transport pattern. The local pattern of winding minor giving names to small woods such as Linces Spring and lanes, some with hedgebanks, adds to the ancient feel of Sanders Spring. There are a number of swallowholes in the landscape, e.g. Waterend Lane. The area is interrupted Sherrardspark Wood which are fed by woodland streams. A by the A1(M) corridor, which passes through in a reservoir is also located in Sherrardspark Wood. substantial cutting. Land cover and land use. The dominant land use is arable Settlements and built form. There is a dispersed and farming. Closer to the settlements there are small areas of settled character with small clusters of cottages and a few equestrian pasture. Woodlands are extensive. Open but mature country houses and farmhouses in traditional private parkland areas exist around Ayot Montfitchet and vernacular materials, including brick and timber frame. The Ayot Bury. Other parklands tend to be either heavily village of Ayot Green comprises a number of former estate wooded, e.g. Sherrardspark Wood, or partly arable with workers' cottages set around a shady green. To the north isolated clumps of trees in the fields. east is Welwyn village. Vegetation and wildlife. The main woodland mix is • Houses include Ayot Bury (dating from 1672) and Ayot oak/hornbeam. Other species include ash, beech, lime and Place (1615), now 'Ayot Montfitchet'. The latter is a sycamore with an understorey of holly and hawthorn. timber-framed farmhouse that includes a minstrels' Woodlands include a mix of ancient woods, e.g. Saul's gallery. Wood, Threegroves Wood and Rectory Wood, with others • Ayot St Peter's church is a distinctive gothic Victorian of later plantation origin. Dodswell Wood and church (1874-75) in bold mixed brick patterns with a Sherrardspark Wood contain strong patterns of radiating striking blue clock face. rides which are important habitats for invertebrates. At • Sherrardspark Wood contains Digswell Place. Dodwells conifer stands are present along with a mixed ground flora including bluebells and rock rose on the thin OTHER SOURCES OF AREA-SPECIFIC gravel soils over the underlying chalk. INFORMATION • Sherrardspark Wood (SSSI and LNR) is located on the English Nature: SSSI notification. acidic gravel and sand Reading Beds, which support an extensive semi-natural sessile oak/hornbeam woodland. A large part of the woodland is dominated by mature stands of sessile oak high forest, which is a rare habitat in lowland England. Other species include downy birch, hairy birch, ash, cherry and field maple. The shrub layer is dominated by honeysuckle and holly. The underlying chalk comes to the surface in some locations, e.g. along the line of the disused railway, and here calcareous plant communities are supported, including spindle, dogwood and species of helleborine.

pg 152 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment AYOT ST PETER WOODED UPLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 35

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The wooded skyline is widely visible from surrounding areas There is an extensive network of local footpaths, but the plateau areas themselves are relatively hidden. The particularly in Sherrardspark Wood where there is also an village landscapes are contained, due to the level and access land agreement. The local lanes also provide good elevated landform, while the northern slopes are open and opportunities for cycling and horse riding as does the Ayot visible from the Mimram valley. This is a locally coherent Greenway, which follows the line of the old railway. There landscape but is often interrupted by large arable fields and is a unique pedestrian access through the gatehouse at the relentless drone of the A1(M). Ayot Montfitchet. Rarity and distinctiveness. This landscape type is relatively frequent. The woodland at Sherrardspark is the most COMMUNITY VIEWS distinctive element. This area contains landscapes with significant value for their distinctiveness, including Ayot Green (C). VISUAL IMPACT The urban edge of Welwyn is prominent to the north east. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS East of the A1(M) the woodland is contained by the Landscape Conservation Area (majority). residential development of Welwyn Garden City along the SSSI: Sherrardspark Wood. majority of its perimeter. The A1(M) is mainly in cutting but locally visible.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mature or young Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: widespread Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: contained Impact of built development: low Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 153 AYOT ST PETER WOODED UPLAND summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 35

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE: CONSERVE AND RESTORE • create new woodlands to the north east to soften the • promote the use of traditional hedged field enclosure for visual impact of Welwyn pasture in place of timber or wire fencing • within existing woodlands encourage the replacement of • protect the traditional pattern of local lanes, hedgebanks, softwoods with indigenous native deciduous communities verges and hedges as a local feature and wildlife resource • maintain and extend public access arrangements to • maintain the rural qualities of the area and protect it from woodlands and throughout the area. Support the active recreation and development maintenance of the Ayot Greenway and safe access • promote a strategy for the maintenance and routes through Sherrardspark Wood improvement of the woodland cover along the A1(M). • promote the appropriate management of woodland in Seek to provide measures to reduce noise intrusion into order to maintain a rich ground flora and the distinction the area from the road between different management systems, such as high forest, coppice, coppice-with-standards and wood pasture • maintain glades and rides for both calcareous and acidic plant communities and associated wildlife • promote the expansion of woodland beyond ancient woodland boundaries, especially where this will help in creating habitat links across arable areas • support the survey and management of veteran trees throughout the area, including those on Ayot Green • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive arable production and important semi-natural habitats and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout the area to provide visual and ecological links between existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries and/or rights of way and to include additional hedgerow trees • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed livestock/arable farming where possible • promote both the creation of new ponds and the retention/enhancement of existing ponds for wildlife

• Sherrardspark Wood (HCC Landscape Unit)

pg 154 South Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment BUNCEFIELD PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 94

area 94

District Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Tring

©Crown copyright .All rights reserved.

Hertfordshire County Council LA076678 2003 Berkhamsted Hemel Hempstead

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area lies on the eastern fringes of Hemel Hempstead, • arable farmland stretching from Westwick Row in the southa and following • upland and dry valleys the route of the M1 up to the dry valley between Redbourn • M1 transport corridor and Hemel Hempstead to the north. • discontinuous cultural and field patterns • commercial an industrial urban fringe influence LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • long views An extensive, linear, undulating plateau confined to the • narrow lanes and isolated properties west by the urban settlement of Hemel Hempstead. The M1 motorway dominates the plateau's length and the DISTINCTIVE FEATURES industrial urban edge also strongly influences the character • Buncefield industrial development of the area. The plateau is crossed by dry valleys, creating • oil depot an undulating topography. Much of the cultural pattern has • overhead power lines been lost or interrupted by the motorway. The industrial sector of Hemel Hempstead is clearly visible from the higher open ground.

Buncefield Oil storage Depo. Hemel Hempstead (HCC Landscape Unit) •

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 29 BUNCEFIELD PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 94

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The bedrock geology is chalk which is The strongest cultural influence is the M1 motorway (the overlaid by clay-with-flints drift on the plateau areas with UK's first official motorway) and the development of a undifferentiated solid rock on the dry valley slopes.Soils are sprawling industrial area along the fringes of Hemel stagnogleyic paleo-argillic brown earths which are fine silty Hempstead. Historically the area was sparsely settled and and oamy over clayey soils with slowly permeable subsoils therefore the historical influence is not noticeable in the and slight seasonal waterlogging (Batcombe association). light of the existing influences. Some are well drained clayey soils over chalk, variably flinty. Field pattern.Over much of the area the original field The dry valley slopes in the very south of the area are pattern was the relatively rare pre 18th-century co- axial typical paleo-argillic brown earths which are well drained system. There are some areas where this has survived, fine silty and clayey soils, often very flinty (Carstens however most has been removed by the late 20th-century association). field enlargements. To the south of the plateau, fields Topography. This is a mainly flat area of high ground around Westwick Row Farm are regular and rectangular between Hemel Hempstead and the Ver Valley. To the and here the nature of the topography makes this pattern south there is the dry valley which runs on eastwards more apparent. Much of the historic field pattern has also through Gorhambury Estate to the Ver Valley. There is a been disrupted along the route of the M1. A more sub- similar, less marked feature in the centre of the area. The regular pattern re-emerges in the north of the area with edges of the plateau fall away to form the upper slopes of increasing distance from the M1 corridor. secondary valleys associated with the Ver Valley and the Ver Transport pattern. The M1 runs north/south across the Valley itself. To the west it is bounded by the edges of plateau and becomes elevated where it crosses the dry Hemel Hempstead. valleys. Minor straight lanes cross the M1 such as Punch Degree of slope. In the north east where the land slopes Bowl Lane and Hoggs End Lane, which tend to follow down towards the Ver Valley the gradient averages 1 in 90. minor valleys. In the southern dry valley the slopes average 1 in 25. The Settlements and built form. The area was relatively rest of the area could be described as flat. sparsely settled in the prehistoric period, though there is Altitude range. 135m on two of the highest plateau areas evidence of a Roman villa close to the junction of the M1. - one west of Gorhambury Estate and the other to the east Isolated farms are scattered over the plateau e.g. Westwick of Hemel Hempstead Industrial Estate.; 95m in the very Hall. In the medieval period, Westwick Row, in the south of south east of the area where the dry valley crosses into the area, developed as one of the small hamlets Gorhambury Estate characteristic of the plateau areas in the district. There are Hydrology. There is little natural standing water on this also buildings asociated with the M1 corridor e.g. the depot area of high ground, however, there are a number of at Junction 8. reservoirs/balancing ponds associated with the oil depot and industrial areas on the fringes of Hemel Hempstead. There are drainage ditches associated with the M1 and a number of small ponds associated with farmsteads. Land cover and land use. Open farmland is the dominant land cover with arable farming the dominant land use. Around the settlements there are small pockets of pasture, mainly for horses, e.g. at Westwick Farm. There is very little woodland on the plateau and the few trees that remain are concentrated around the settlements. Vegetation and wildlife. The plateau has no significant areas of woodland. The woodlands should be a mix of oak,ash,beech and cherry with bluebell on the woodland floors. The remaining treed hedgerows are dominated by hazel, elm and hawthorn with some elder and are most noticeable immediately east of Hemel Hempstead around Cherry Tree Lane and Punch Bowl Lane. The hedgerow trees are oak, ash and field maple. There is almost no natural grassland remaining and hedgerow verges are narrow. Grassland species such as Common Bent and Sweet Vernal Grass should be growing in the area, however the grassland remnants are dominated by False Oatgrass.

pg 30 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment BUNCEFIELD PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 94

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The area is only locally visible because of its plateau Total length of Public Rights of Way - 11,732m location and the views within the area are extensive across Total length of Other Public Access - n/a the open arable land. It is a medium to large scale Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 3,402m landscape bordered by settlement to the west and with a Total length of all public access - 15,134m sense of openness caused by the combination of flat Area of LCA in square metres - 7,134,549 topography and the lack of vegetation and hedgebanks. Length to area ratio - 1:471 The dry valley of Westwick Row feels slightly less open, however the M1 still has a major impact on this sub area. COMMUNITY VIEWS The motorway is elevated across the dry valleys, which This area is not regarded as a distinctive landscape (E) without vegetation screening increases its dominance. The area generally has an inhospitable and neglected image, LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS dominated by the major adjacent industrial influences, the ever present drone of the motorway traffic and the unsightly incidences of fly tipping on the minor lanes. Rarity and distinctiveness. The plateau landscape is common in Hertfordshire as is the interruption of character areas by major transport routes and settlement.

VISUAL IMPACT The M1and its attendant traffic is visible throughout the plateau area. More visually dominant than the motorway however is the industrial development along the eastern periphery of Hemel Hempstead. Breakspear's Park buildings also have a major impact on the landscape and can be seen from many viewpoints.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mature Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: relic Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: not obvious Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: open Impact of built development: high Visual unity: incoherent Impact of land-use change: high Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 31 BUNCEFIELD PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 94

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING • ensure that landscape proposals for the context of roads CHANGE: RESTORE CONDITION TO MAINTAIN and other developments fit the grain of the local CHARACTER landscape both horizontally and vertically; avoid • promote the creation of a network of new medium to significant impact on the local field pattern and use only large woodlands in the open arable landscape, locally native tree and shrub species for associated particularly with a view to visually integrating the planting. It should not be axiomatic to enclose any new intrusive motorways and urban fringe development road with dense hedging on both sides – due reference • within existing woodlands, encourage the replacement of should be made to local character and roads should be softwoods with indigenous native deciduous left open where appropriate communities, provide hedgebank management and re- • promote a clear strategy for the visual and noise establish a species-rich ground flora mitigation of all motorways, trunk roads and to positively • utilise ancient hedge and field boundaries to establish the integrate these corridors into the local landscape most appropriate location for wood restoration and character expansion • ensure that ancient lanes and their associated hedgerows • encourage the reversal of habitat fragmentation and the are retained, protected, enhanced and integrated into creation and improvement of habitat links to create eco- new development with due regard to their historic, corridors ecological and landscape value • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive • encourage the replacement of existing poor quality field arable production and important semi-natural habitats gates and fencing with gates and fencing of a material and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats and style that reflects the rural character of the locality • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout • promote measures to reduce the incidences of unsightly the area to provide visual and ecological links between fly tipping along minor roads. existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries where possible. • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed livestock/arable farming where possible • provide new uncropped or grass field margins to link areas of wildlife importance and/or existing and proposed rights of way • restore arable land to permanent pasture and meadow. Priority will be given to land which buffers or links sites of existing wildlife importance • native tree species only should be planted on boundaries, with exotic/ornamental species only in close proximity to development

• Plateau view (HCC Landscape Unit)

pg 32 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment REVEL END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 95

area 95

District Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Tring

©Crown copyright .All rights reserved.

Hertfordshire County Council LA076678 2003 Berkhamsted Hemel Hempstead

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area borders the west of Redbourn, including • arable farmland Norringtonend, St. Agnells, Nicholl's, Hillbury and Great • discrete woodlands and plantations Revel End Farms to the east, and in the west, Holtsmore • urban fringe recreation End, Little Lovett's End and Eastbrookhay Farms. • M1 transport corridor • urban fringe land uses including pasture LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • isolated farmsteads An area of gently undulating upland with a discontinuous • field copses field pattern bordering the M1 corridor. Discrete woodland blocks help to screen the motorway. Surrounding gentle DISTINCTIVE FEATURES slopes define the character area boundary. The limit of the • Flamsteadbury Farm settlement of Redbourn coincides with the edge of the • overhead power lines plateau to the east. Arable farmland and isolated patches of • Great and Little Revel End Farms pasture linked to the farmsteads are the predominant land uses. A nursery,, recreation ground and school playing fields influence the area's character on the northern edges of Redbourn and the M1 corridor interrupts the area's unity.

Dry valley • Gaddesden Lane ( HCC Landscape Unit)

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 33 REVEL END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 95

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The bedrock geology is predominantly Great Revel End Farm was originally a small hamlet that chalk. This is overlaid by clay-with-flints on the plateau grew up on land enclosed in the 12th century. Earthworks areas, undifferentiated solid rock in the dry valleys and to the north east of the existing farm apparently represent some clay with sand and gravel in the lower dry valley west the medieval hamlet, possibly substantially reduced in the of Redbourn. On the plateau the neutral loams are 14th century as a result of depopulation following the Black stagnogleyic paleo-argillic brown earths which are fine silty Death. and loamy over clayey soils with slowly permeable subsoils Field pattern. Fields are large and irregularly shaped. An and slight seasonal waterlogging (Batcombe isolated group of small fields surround Holtsmere End Farm association).There are some well drained clayey soils over and Holtsmere End are in pastoral rather than arable chalk, variably flinty. In the dry valley west of Redbourne, cultivation. soils are typical argillic brown earths which are well drained Transport pattern. The pattern of roads, lanes and fine silty and clayey soils, locally very flinty with some footpaths radiate from the development of Redbourn to the shallow over flint gravel (Charity 2 association). west. The country lanes are sinuous and the coverage of Topography. An area of high land interspersed with public footpaths and bridleways over the area is relatively distinctive open dry valleys which feed into the Upper Ver high.The M1 crosses the area in a north/south direction, Valley system along Hempstead Road ,(see Upper Ver Valley interrupting the historic radial pattern. area.) The area is flat to the north of Redbourn with a dry Settlements and built form. Settlement is dispersed across valley to the south of this, followed by another flat area the area and a number of traditional farmhouses, such as where Great Revel End Farm is located along with Flamsteadbury Farm and St. Agnell's Farm, are distinctive associated farmsteads and buildings. This in turn has a dry components of the landscape. valley to the south which forms the northern edge of Little Revel End Farm is a cluster of traditional agricultural Hemel Hempstead. These topographical features create a buildings built of buff London brick and weatherboard with gently rolling landscape. patterned terracotta roof tiles. Degree of slope. The northern plateau area slopes to the east at a gradient of 1 in 57. The slopes from the southern plateau around Holtsmore End Farm average 1 in 29 and the central plateau slopes average 1 in 37. Altitude range. 145m near Puddephats Farm 100m near The Aubreys Fort Hydrology. There are a number of ponds on the higher ground, generally in association with the farmsteads. e.g. Flamsteadbury Farm, which also has a well. There is no standing water on the slopes. Land cover and land use. The clay plateau is predominantly intensive arable farmland, particularly in the dry valleys. Infreequent small pasture fields and some isolated woods are associated with the farms . Vegetation and wildlife. There are a number of woodlands on the plateau, including New wood, Rabbitfield Spring and Nicholl's Great Wood. All are significant landscape features but are discrete and isolated on the plateau. Woodlands on the slopes typically comprise oak,ash ,beech and cherry while on the plateau oak and hornbeam dominate. Hedgerows are largely hazel,hawthorn,elm and holly, and mostly ancient relict hedgerows. Limited areas of old grassland remain, dominated by Common Bent, Sweet Vernal Grass, with Pignut etc. Wild Daffodil is especially characteristic of the area.

pg 34 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment REVEL END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 95

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The area is only locally visible from surrounding areas due Total length of Public Rights of Way - 22,546m to the level and elevated landform. It is generally a Total length of Other Public Access - 2,038m coherent landscape with some areas downgraded by the Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 4,263m impact of the adjacent urban development or transport Total length of all public access - 28,847m corridor (M1). Views within the area are filtered by Area of LCA in square metres - 10,421,803 vegetation, particularly hedgerow trees and high verges. It Length to area ratio - 1:361 is a medium to large scale landscape with open views across the arable fields. COMMUNITY VIEWS Rarity and distinctiveness. This open arable landscape There is insufficient data to establish a full picture of associated with an upland plateau is common across community views although there is evidence that there are northern Hertfordshire. The transport corridor, overhead landscape features within this area of note as well as power lines and scattered farmsteads are all distinctive pressures. features of this character type. "I could not hear the insects, not because I have killed them all with my sprayer, but they were drowned out by the low VISUAL IMPACT rumble from the motorway and the roars of aeroplanes at There are few detracting features in this area. Despite its nearby Luton." Paul Stanbridge's Pages, magnitude, the M1 has only a moderately negative visual http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/paulstan/ , July 2001 impact, partially due to the fact the road is in cutting for much of its length through the plateau and partially due to LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS the mature hedgerows that line the route. The influences of AONB: (to west) the settlements of Redbourn and Hemel Hempstead and Area of Archaeological Significance: East of New their adjacent land uses are more significant on the Wood Flamsteadbury (cropmarks) character. Overhead power lines have a widespread visual impact.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: insignificant Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: not obvious Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: open Impact of built development: moderate Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: low Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 35 REVEL END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 95

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING • promote both the creation of new ponds and the CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE retention / enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds • promote the creation of a network of new medium to • restore ditches and discourage enclosing existing open large woodlands in the open arable landscape, drainage systems particularly with a view to visually integrating the • provide new uncropped or grass field margins to link intrusive motorways and urban fringe development areas of wildlife importance and /or existing and • for existing woodlands, encourage the replacement of proposed rights of way softwoods with indigenous native deciduous • promote the use of traditional field enclosure where land communities, hedgebank management and re- is converted to equestrian pasture establishing a rich ground flora • encourage the reuse of existing agricultural buildings for • improve public access arrangements to woodlands with equestrian activity attention to car park design and safety • ensure that the surroundings of converted and new • utilise ancient hedge and field boundaries to locate the buildings are designed and maintained to be in keeping most appropriate location for wood restoration and with their agricultural surroundings by ensuring that expansion ‘Garden’ details are screened from view where possible • encourage the reversal of habitat fragmentation and the and native species are used for hedging and tree planting creation and improvement of habitat links to create eco- to the perimeter corridors • encourage planting native species on settlement • encourage the dissemination of information about the boundaries, with exotic/ornamental species only to historic importance and appropriate management of internal faces woodland features such as banks and ditches • promote a clear strategy for the visual and noise • encourage the use of native stock of local provenance mitigation of all major roads within the area and to wherever possible and encourage the eradication of non- positively integrate these corridors into the local native species landscape character • encourage landowners to improve ecological diversity by • encourage effective management along transport establishing and maintaining varied land maintenance corridors to ensure thinning, selective felling and regimes to enhance visual and wildlife functions replanting is undertaken to achieve a varied age structure • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive and appropriate species mix arable production and important semi-natural habitats and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout the area to provide visual and ecological links between existing and proposed woodland areas • Impact of M1 • promote crop diversification and the restoration of mixed West of Redbourn livestock/ arable farming where possible (HCC Landscape Unit)

pg 36 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment UPPER VER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 96

area 96

District Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Tring

©Crown copyright .All rights reserved.

Hertfordshire County Council LA076678 2003 Berkhamsted Hemel Hempstead

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area follows the stretch of the Ver valley that runs • narrow strip of wetland habitats along valley floor south from Junction 9 of the M1 (to the north of Redbourn) of Redbourn downstream to St. Albans. The area also includes the dry • cultural pattern and historic settlements follows the line valley west of Redbourn along Hempstead Road. of the river LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • open, gently undulating valley slopes A broad, open river valley with gentle slopes and extensive • large arable fields views. Riverine vegetation is confined to a narrow, linear • discrete woodland blocks to north of the area, including strip along the meandering watercourse. Large arable fields conifers on the valley's gentle slopes are characteristic and • isolated settlement contrast with the small fields of wetland pasture along the • lack of field boundaries on valley slopes river banks in the lower stretches between Redbourn and • hedge banks along lanes crossing slopes St. Albans . The course of the river is reinforced by the • mature willow and poplar plantations in the floodplain straight Roman road of Watling Street. Mature plantations • pockets of pasture along urban edges and the dry valley of willow and poplar border the river around Pre Mill House between Redbourn and Hemel Hempstead and hotel, creating a more enclosed character. A continuous DISTINCTIVE FEATURES strip of pasture tracks the base of the dry valley from • Watling Street Roman road Redbourn along the Hempstead road. The main valley is • Redbournbury Mill and ford also marked by a disused railway line now used as a way- • Redbourn by-pass marked footpath, the Ver Colne valley walk. • M1 corridor and Junction 9 • show ground • disused railway line - now a footpath and cycle way • meadow pasture • Aubrey's hill fort • horsiculture along Hempstead Road

• Water meadows at Redbournbury (HCC Landscape Unit)

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 37 UPPER VER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 96

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES Chalk Pit site. The dry valley that runs between Redbourn Geology and soils.The chalk bedrock is oververlaid by clay- and Hemel Hempstead is strongly marked by the extent of with-flints drift on the upper valley slopes, sand and gravel horse pasture. Paddocks are defined by timber and wire on the lower valley slopes and alluvium in the valley fences. bottom. Neutral acidic loams on the upper slopes are Vegetation and wildlife. stagnogleyic paleo-argillic brown earths, which are fine silty Remnant discrete woodlands are found on the valley slopes and loamy soils with slowly permeable subsoils and slight and are typically oak/beech/ash/hazel/cherry with more of seasonal waterlogging. Some well drained clayey soils over an oak/hornbeam mix to the south east. Poplar and willow chalk outcrops and colluvium, variably flinty (Batcombe plantations around Pre Mill and hotel are significant association).On the dry tributary valley north of features adjacent to the A5183. To the north of Redbourn Gorhambury soils are typical paleo-argillic brown earths there are more coniferous stands and ornamental planting which are well drained fine silty and clayey soils, often very around the golf club at Harpendenbury Farm. flinty (Carstens association). In the valley bottom soils are Hedgerow species comprise hawthorn, holly, blackthorn, typical argillic brown earths which are well drained fine silty bramble, willow, elder, elm with hedgerow oaks, willows soils, locally very flinty, some shallow over flint and peri- and ash. glacial gravels (Charity 2 association). There is a site of Regionally Important Geology (RIGS) at HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Redbournbury Chalk Pit south of Redbournbury Mill. Field pattern. Fields along the valley floors are notably Topography. This section of river valley runs in a north smaller than those on the valley slopes and their linear west/south east direction for approximately 9 km. It is shapes run parallel to its sinuous course. Fields on the mainly dry to the north of Redbourn with the River Ver broader valley slopes are medium to large and their running underground in places. South of Redbourn the boundaries perpendicular to the direction of the river. The valley takes on a classic river valley form with a floodplain, field shapes are sub-regular or irregular. Much of the valley slopes and dry secondary valleys feeding into the historic pattern, including most of the co-axial field systems main valley. The slopes of the valley to the north east are and the associated hedgerows, have been lost to changes steeper than those to the south west, however, the dry in agricultural practices in the later part of the 20th century. valleys to the south west are larger and extend further. Transport pattern. The main St. Albans to Redbourn road Degree of slope. The valley slopes typically range between (A5183) follows the linear course of the Roman road of 1 in 15 and 1 in 25. In the dry valley immediately north of Watling Street along the valley between Redbourn and Gorhambury Estate the slopes average 1 in 13. Bow Bridge, crossing the River Ver on several occasions. Altitude range. The highest point is 140m near Turner's Rural lanes branch off from this road at right angles and Hall Farm and the lowest point is 84 in the floodplain to the generally follow the dry valleys up to the plateaux to the south of the area. east and west. The lanes to the north of Redbourn are more Hydrology. The river Ver is a chalk stream, partly a sinuous. At the northern end of the area the M1 and seasonal winterbourne to the north of Redbourn. The flow Junction 9 form an imposing feature in the landscape. At is variable depending on the level of extraction at Luton. To Redbourn, the disused railway line crosses the area and is the north of the area a balancing pond is located at marked by parallel mature hedges. The railway line is now Junction 9 of the M1. Between this point and Redbourn the used as a public right of way for walkers and cyclists, river runs mainly underground and is large drain when known as the 'Nicky Line'. above ground. There are also two springs in this area, Settlements and built form. Northfield Spring and Scout Spring, and two fords to the There is evidence of development along the river valley east of Redbourn and two at Redbournbury Mill. On the floor dating back to the late 2nd century AD, particularly floodplain south of Redbourn there are two areas of closer to the Roman town of Verulamium. Settlement disused watercress beds. The river meanders within the outside the built up areas of Redbourn and St. Albans is floodplain with a number of threaded courses. There is a dispersed, with isolated houses and farms dotted along the small dam above Corn Mill and a series of sluices above Pre valley. The building style is predominantly vernacular, using Mill House. Surface water is rare on the valley slopes, but a mainly red brick and tile, e.g. Redbournbury Mill and Corn covered reservoir lies at the head of the dry valley just east Mill . The hamlet of Shafford includes groups of estate of Hemel Hempstead and small ponds are associated with cottages. Black weatherboard farm buildings are also seen farmsteads and settlements, e.g. Kettlewell's Farm. in the area. Land cover and land use. The area is predominantly arable Other sources of area-specific information. farmland with open wetland meadow along the valley floor Habitat Survey of Site 55/001 Redbournbury Meadows to the south. The smaller fields along the valley floor are Hertfordshire Countryside Volume 6 No. 23 Winter used for pasture and cattle graze the river banks along the 1951front cover Illustration of ford at Redbournbury river to the south of Redbourn. To the north, the valley is Hertfordshire Countryside Volume 38 No. 289 May 1983 p. mainly arable , except for the golf course at 21 Illustration of Redbournbury Mill Harpendenbury Farm.There are a number of plantations Hertfordshire Countryside Volume 24 No. 130 February within the valley. A hazardous waste treatment plant (the 1970 p. 21 Illustration of Redbourn Landscape only one in Hertfordshire) operates from the Redbournbury English Heritage: Schedule entry

pg 38 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment UPPER VER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 96

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION COMMUNITY VIEWS The main Upper Ver Valley is widely visible from the There is insufficient data at present to establish a complete surrounding plateaux. The open slope character permits picture of community views about this area, however the extensive views across the arable landscape resulting in a environs of Redbournbury are clearly regarded as of visual unity in the area. significant value. It seems likely that following attitude Hedgerows are few and far between on the slopes but survey this area as a whole would be classified as a valued those that border the lanes are located high on steep landscape, as evidenced by the existence of the Ver Valley hedgebanks, preventing views to and from the lanes. Society. Traffic moving along the A5183 disrupts the rural character. ‘I love this sort of place – an unassuming little corner that is Rarity and distinctiveness. Although this is one of a so typical of the English Countryside and yet can be easily number of river valleys in the county, it is unusual to find a lost because it is not sufficiently important for anyone to valley that is so broad and open. The water meadows south worry about protecting it’. Gordon Beningfield on of Redbourn are the most distinctive feature. Redbournbury in ‘Beningfield’s English Landscape’ Cameron Books 1985. VISUAL IMPACT The mills along the river are both locally important heritage LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS sites and distinctive features along its length. The traffic Landscape Conservation Area (south) moving along the Roman road detracts from the rural feel Regionally Important Geological/Geomorpholiogical of the area. The settlements of Redbourn and St. Albans are Site (RIGS) at Redbournbury Chalk Pit apparent throughout the valley area. The waste treatment SM: Aubreys Camp south-west of Redbourn plant is locally visible, particularly the security fencing and Conservation Areas: Shafford Mill and to the works associated with it. southern tip of St. Albans

ACCESSIBILITY Total length of Public Rights of Way - 26,994m Total length of Other Public Access - 16,455m Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 8,871m Total length of all public access - 52,320m Area of LCA in square metres - 16,933,032 Length to area ratio - 1:234

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: interrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: widely visible Survival of cultural pattern: intact Sense of enclosure: open Impact of built development: low Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 39 UPPER VER VALLEY summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 96

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING • promote the re-introduction of permanent pasture and CHANGE: CONSERVE AND STRENGTHEN flooding regimes as normal agricultural practices, to • within existing woodlands, encourage the replacement of increase landscape and habitat diversity softwoods with indigenous native deciduous • protect river corridors and water meadows from communities, provide hedgebank management and re- development that would alter its character visually or establish a species-rich ground flora environmentally, such as culverting, impact on a • utilise ancient hedge and field boundaries to establish the floodplain, loss of water meadows or storage ponds. most appropriate location for wood restoration and • enhance and restore hedgerows and ditches as expansion characteristic field boundary patterns • encourage the reversal of habitat fragmentation and the • promote the use of traditional field enclosure where land creation and improvement of habitat links to create eco- is converted to equestrian pasture corridors • encourage the retention and enhancement of rights of • promote a clear strategy for the visual and noise way and receational routes mitigation of motorways and trunk roads and positively • ensure that new and restored buildings are in keeping integrate these corridors into the local landscape with the local vernacular character • promote the use of traditional field enclosure where land • Restore and enhance wet grassland to provide a habitat is converted to equestrian pasture for wading birds • within golf courses a high proportion of the total area • conserve and manage. marshy grassland. Avoid over- shall be dedicated to and maintained as wildlife habitat, grazing, heavy public pressure, damage from vehicles and building upon established areas of wildlife interest already pollution present. Landscape management plans to be an integral • encourage the dissemination of information about the part of the facilities historic importance and appropriate management of woodland features such as banks and ditches • encourage reversion from arable uses to pasture and grassland • protect remaining river valley habitats of significant nature conservation interest, especially where they contribute to a suite of habitats, such as neutral grassland, running water, wet grassland, valley or floodplain woodland, grazing marsh, fens and swamp • Poplar plantation, Pre Mill • promote the use of low-density stock grazing as a ( HCC Landscape Unit) management technique

pg 40 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment GORHAMBURY ESTATE summarysummary assessment evaluation guidelines 97area 97

County Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Bishops Hertfordshire County Council area 97 Stortford LA076678 2001 Harpenden Hertford

Hatfield Hemel St Albans Hempstead

Watford

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS A rectangle of land on the western slopes of the River Ver • arable fields between St. Albans and Redbourn. • strong, regular boundary planting LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • parkland avenues, roundels and woodland blocks This character area focuses on the ruins of Old Gorhambury • framed views (1563) and the later country house (1777) situated in its • estate architecture centre. Both are located in prominent elevated positions • series of secondary ridges and valleys running enjoying views across the River Ver to the east and an perpendicular to the Ver valley associated dry valley to the south. The area is strongly • timber fences defined by linear woodland belts to the north and west and DISTINCTIVE FEATURES the topography and vegetation cover of Prae Wood to the • Gorhambury house south. The parkland planting, historic garden features and • Gorhambury ruins landform distinguish its character. Discrete woodland blocks • parkland planting frame views to and from the main house and conceal the • stud overhead power lines that clip the north-western corner of • landmark exotic conifers on hilltop this park. Arable and pasture fields are predominantly • fish ponds bounded by low hedgerows and timber fences. This allows • Bacon's Mount clear views of the undulating landform, which becomes • Devil's Ditch more pronounced around Stud Cottages along the dry chalk valley.

Gorhambury arable parkland • (HCC Landscape Unit)

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 25 GORHAMBURY ESTATE summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 97

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The chalk bedrock geology is overlaid by The favourable location overlooking the Ver valley has long mainly clay-with-flints on the upland areas, undifferentiated been recognised. East of the existing mansion are both solid rock and chalky drift on the slopes, and sand and Roman and medieval sites. The present Gorhambury is one gravel on the lower Ver valley slopes to the east. On the of the most notable country houses and parks of upland area to the west acidic loams are stagnogleyic Hertfordshire. The house, built between 1777and 1784 by paleo-argillic brown earths which are fine silty and loamy the third Viscount Grimston, was designed by the architect soils with slowly permeable subsoils and slight seasonal Sir Robert Taylor. To the west of the ashlar faced Palladian- waterlogging. Some well drained clayey soils over chalk are style villa stands the remains of the former Tudor house variably flinty (Batcombe association). On the central (completed 1568) of the family of Sir Nicholas Bacon. It slopes the light loams are typical paleo-argillic brown earths was here that his son, Sir Francis Bacon, created both a which are well drained fine silty and clayey soils, often very hilltop garden and elaborate water gardens. He also wrote flinty (Carstens association).On the lower slopes of the Ver his essays 'Of Gardens' at Gorhambury, and inspired others valley light loams are typical argillic brown earths which are to develop their own gardens. He embellished and well drained fine silty soils, locally very flinty with some extended the existing gardens and woods and created a shallow over flint and peri-glacial gravels (Charity 2 mound at the eastern end of Prae Wood to provide a spot association). for fine views of the estate. The development of the park Topography. The estate covers the ridges and dry valleys with the building of the present Gorhambury House had an associated with the western slopes of the River Ver valley. important influence on the landscape, which was There is a mainly flat area on the western boundary of the redesigned by Mr Richmond. Land was taken out of estate which adjoins the plateau beyond. Two dry valleys cultivation and boundaries moved up to the original Belgica join towards the east of the estate. The main house is dyke to the north. The lanes through the estate were located strategically on the spur between the two. The severed and the present entrance drive constructed . Local valley to the south is larger and has steeper slopes, the excavation has also revealed evidence of preceding Roman southernmost of which is heavily wooded with part of Prae occupation on the site in 1st century AD. To the north of Wood. Numerous quarries have been excavated over the the ruins of old Gorhambury there is a mound surrounded estate, some dating back to the building of the old by a ditch where a windmill once stood. The estate Gorhambury House. changed radically during the 20th century; most of the Degree of slope. The north valley has slopes with an 19th-century park was taken back into cultivation and the average gradient of 1 in 25 whereas the south valley has grassland turned to pasture. slopes with an average gradient of 1 in 20. Field pattern. The field pattern is planned, with the Altitude range. The estate ranges from 130m in the north- landscape elements designed principally to frame views to west to 85m in the north east. and from the house and enclose the parkland. The fields are Hydrology. The estate falls within the river Ver catchment medium in size and are generally used for livestock grazing boundary. There is no standing water on the estate apart closer to the house and arable crop cultivation lower down from the fishponds in the north east of the area. the slopes towards the river Ver valley. Land cover and land use. The land use is a mix of arable Transport pattern. There are straight tracks and estate roads and pastoral farming.The arable land uses are more within the area. Verges are narrow or non-existent with prominent on the lower slopes to the east with the parkland generally no fences or hedges.Gorhambury Lane and Hill and pasture more asociated with the houses on the upper End Land have both been severed by the development of slopes. There are a good number of medium to small the estate and there are no through public roads . woodlands with both deciduous and evergreen trees within Settlements and built form. The pattern of settlement is the parkland and strong shelter belts on the perimeter. dominated by the Gorhambury mansions . Maynes Farm to Vegetation and wildlife. The trees within this character area the east is another large group of buildings. Otherwise are mainly of plantation origin. Around the house the trees there are only isolated estate cottages or lodges set around are mostly ornamental. Roundels of semi-natural acidic the perimeter of the estate. There is a small disused walled oak/ash/beech woodland have been planned to frame and garden west of the main house. intercept views within the estate. There are no hedgerows Other sources of area-specific information within the park area, whose boundaries are marked by Hare's map 1634 Estate map 1768 broad bands of mixed woodland, punctuated by History of Gorhambury c1821 by C Grimston, Hertfordshire ornamental trees, including some prominent Wellingtonias Countryside Volume 9 No 33 1954 p.97 (illustration) in the western belts, breaking the skyline in a regular Hertfordshire Countryside July 27th 1940 p.82 (article pattern. Sweet chestnut, ash,lime and cherry trees of about reclaiming parkland from ant plague) varying age line the approach to the house. Grasslands are Herts Countryside Volume 16 No 63 Winter 1961 p 102 almost entirely improved (formerly Bent/Sweet Vernal (illustration from engraving) Grass). Bat species are associated with this area.The historic Hertfordshire Countryside Volume 22 No 103 1967 p34 fishponds to the north east are of some ecological interest. (reference to the ancient 'Kiss Oak') Windmill Hill Wood is recorded as a habitat of note. Jonathan Hunn's "The Landscape of Gorhambury" Hertfordshire's Past No. 10

pg 26 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment GORHAMBURY ESTATE summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 97

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The distinctive woodland boundary planting and exotic Total length of Public Rights of Way - n/a conifers of the Gorhambury estate are widely visible from Total length of Other Public Access - n/a the surrounding areas but the house and ruins are well Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - n/a hidden. A lack of verges and hedges within the estate Total length of all public access - n/a allows clear views towards the house from the approach Area of LCA in square metres - 3,260,387 drive. The estate is well defined and contained by planted Length to area ratio - n/a vegetation rather than topography. The landscape is unified throughout, due to its careful design and internal openness. COMMUNITY VIEWS Rarity and distinctiveness. This landscape type is relatively This area is regarded as distinctive. unusual. The layers of history add to the complexity of the "From hence [Verulam] our eyes, tho' pleased, insatiate landscape and the discovery of one of Northern Europe's rove, most important Roman sites in the estate is a distinctive Till fix intent on Gorhambury's grove; feature. The seat of Wisdom, when from heav'n she came, And dwelt in Britain under Bacon's name; VISUAL IMPACT Hence like the sons of light ('tis said they're few) To the west of the estate there are glimpsed views of the A path, long, strait, and narrow we pursue; overhead pylons that cut across the corner of the estate but Where tree to tree from either side inclines, these have been well screened from the main house by the And o'er our heads the blended foliage twines." woodland plantations. As you leave the estate along the from "A Journey to Northampton" Anon 1745. main entrance drive there are glimpsed views of the chimneys of St. Albans. A lower set of power lines supplies “a most respectable and agreeable retirement, with an air the main house, carving through a block of woodland but of sober simplicity” Horace Walpole early 1750s again well screened by woodlands. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS Greenbelt Landscape Conservation Area (except for a small section in the western corner) Bacon's House - Scheduled Ancient Monument Devil's Ditch - Scheduled Ancient Monument

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: relicrelic Impact of historic pattern: interruptedinterrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: poor Visibility from outside: concealedconcealed Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: concealedconcealed Impact of built development: moderate Visual unity: unified Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore

Restore Improve conditioncondition Reconstruct and toto maintainmaintain restore charactercharacter

WEAK MODERATE STRONGSTRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 27 GORHAMBURY ESTATE summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 97

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING features should be architect designed and in keeping with CHANGE: RESTORE CONDITION TO MAINTAIN their original setting CHARACTER • improve the management of old meadows and pastures • encourage reversion from arable uses to pasture and by ceasing fertiliser and herbicide application and grassland and restrict ploughing of grasslands within introducing sensitive grassland management such as late parkland. Introduce native specimen trees within new hay cutting or low density livestock grazing pasture • encourage arrrangements for wider public access to the • encourage the development of an enclosure strategy estate using sympathetic and consistent materials for estate • encourage the dissemination of information about the railings/fences, hedges , banking etc. historic importance of the estate landscape and • within existing woodlands, encourage the replacement of appropriate management of woodland features such as softwoods with indigenous native deciduous banks and ditches communities, provide hedgebank management and re- establish a species-rich ground flora • ensure new planting is encouraged to maintain age diversity. Ensure landscape improvements respect the historic context of existing features and the form and character of parkland and gardens. Ornamental species should only be used to replace damaged or over-mature specimens where appropriate • encourage the reversal of habitat fragmentation and the creation and improvement of habitat links to create eco- corridors. • survey and manage parkland and veteran trees for biodiversity value • encourage research into the historic legacy of the grounds and look for ways to support the appropriate restoration of lost features • hard landscape details such as steps, balustrades, pond copings, statuary and urns should be conserved. Replacements should be in facsimile and in natural materials. Lodges,gazebos, follies, grottoes, obelisks, ice • Gorhambury House houses, terraces, ha-has, boundary walls,railings,fences (HCC Landscape Unit) gates and gate piers should contribute to the planned landscape and its setting. Replacement, renovated or new

pg 28 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment VERULAMIUM summarysummary assessment evaluation guidelines 98area 98

County Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Bishops Hertfordshire County Council area 98 Stortford LA076678 2001 Harpenden Hertford

Hatfield Hemel Hempstead St Albans

Watford

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS On the western edge of St. Albans. The area is divided by • ancient cultural settlement patterns the A4147 with the southern part of the area enclosed by • suburban recreation settlement on three sides . • wetland vegetation • water features LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • parkland trees An ancient cultural pattern overlies the contemporary • arable landuse north of A4147 landscape of the area, dominating the valley floor and slopes of the river Ver. Signs of ancient Roman settlement DISTINCTIVE FEATURES prevail and a museum and visitors centre serve to interpret • Verulamium Roman foundation and later Roman the local history and archaeology. settlements Public access is good throughout the Roman town area and • artificial lakes is well used for informal recreation. The Ver river, associated • River Ver artificial lakes and parkland contribute to the area's • Roman theatre attractions The land becomes more intensively managed and used for formal recreation to the south east.To the north of the A4147 access is more restricted within the arable landscape

Roman walls within • Verulamium park ( G. Lee)

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 29 VERULAMIUM summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 98

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES edge of the lane towards Gorhambury park on the west of Geology and soils. The chalk bedrock geology is overlaid by the river. Very little natural grassland remains. There are clay-with-flints plateau drift on the upper slopes and sand several bat species in the area. In Verulamium Park, the lake and gravel on the lower slopes with alluvium in the valley is home to a wealth of waterfowl including great crested bottom. Areas of colluvium are also present above the grebes, coot, pochard and tufted duck. The islands in the valley floor. Soils are acidic loam to the north west of the lake support one of the few heronries in Hertfordshire A4147, a typical paleo-argillic brown earth, well drained whilst on the River Ver occasional sightings of water vole and often very flinty (Carstens association). Soils are are reported. predominantly unsurveyed south east of the A4147 but are likely to be an extension of the Charity 2 association with HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES alluvial gravels. Verulamium Park and the plateau slopes were covered by Topography. This rectangular area forms part of the Ver the Roman town of Verulamium, traces of which are Valley. The river floodplain is situated along its north- evident throughout the area. It is thought that the Romans eastern edge and expands in the south of the area to form developed the settlement in this location not because of its a mainly flat expanse. The rest of the area comprises the strategic geographic location but rather for its importance valley's south-westerngentyl undulating slope,, which as a ritual ceremonial centre for the local Belgica tribe. comprises parkland in the central area and arable land to Substantial lengths of the Roman town wall and defensive the north.The perimeter of the Roman settlement is marked banks and ditches remain. The hypocaust and the site of in a number of locations by earth banks and ditches, as at the London Gate to the City are also evident. Remains of The Fosse and the Hollows. embankments dating back to the 2nd century AD survive in Degree of slope. The central park section of Verulamium the area. The whole of the Roman town is scheduled as an has average slopes of 1 in 25 whereas the agricultural area ancient monument of national importance. Verulamium to the west has average slopes of 1 in 20. The east section park was purchased from the Earl of Verulam in 1929 by is the flattest part, with slopes averaging 1 in 28. the then City Corporation. Construction of the ornamental Altitude range. 115m towards the west and the southern lake, a main feature of the park, started in the same year edge; 80m in the flood plain of the River Ver. and gave much needed work to the unemployed during the Hydrology. There is no standing water in the northern, economic depression of the 1930s. The grounds of the agricultural section of the area. The River Ver flows into Abbey are used by people for walking, playing informal Verulamium Park under the A4147 Hemel Hempstead games, picnicking and relaxing and provide a main route Road. Just to the south there is an old mill, now converted into Verulamium Park from the town centre. They are also into a museum. In the park the Ver flows adjacent to a used to hold outdoor Christian festivals and events, with large ornamental lake, sited where fishpools, maintained to the Abbey providing a beautiful backdrop. supply the abbey, were once located. A number of ponds Field pattern. In the middle ages the area comprised open within private gardens and the grounds of an hotel on fields, owned by St. Albans Abbey. Remains of their Fishpool Street are connected to the Ver, which splits again associated field banks are clearly visible in the Park, along at Abbey Mill House and then rejoins to flow out of the with traces of rare ridge and furrow. The south corner of park. It is predominantly a chalk stream, but affected by the area known as Deerfold wood contains the last eutrophication in this area. However, a concerted effort by remnants of the deer park owned by the Abbot of St. the local wildlife and environmental groups has resulted in Albans. considerable improvement. The Environment Agency's River Transport pattern. The line of the historic Roman Watling Quality classification for the River Ver at New Barnes Mill Street runs through the area from north west to south east, (Area 17 of S Herts LCA), which is 2.25 km downstream of but is not a prominent visual feature today. The area is Verulamium is "good". crossed by the main Hemel Hempstead Road, (A4147). In Land cover and land use. The area to the south of the Roman times the whole of the area was covered by a grid A4147 is mainly laid to grass and is now extensively used of roads which shared the same north-east/south-west for recreation, with areas for picnics, a paddling pool by the orientation as the A4147 (see hyperlink at bottom of page). lake and cafe/restaurant. An athletics circuit and other more The road is straight and bordered by intermittent mature formal types of recreation dominate the southern area of native hedgerows and wide verges. A more sinuous B road the park. To the north of the A4147 in the agricultural branches off along St.Michaels Street towards the north- section the land use is mainly arable. western edge of St. Albans leading up to the Cathedral. Vegetation and wildlife. One discrete area of woodland Settlements and built form. Historic buildings and lies close to Pre Wood House on the slopes. The woodland interpretation centres such as the museum are located is transitional with typical species being within the park. They attract and accommodate a high oak/beech/ash/hazel and oak/hornbeam, heavily affected number of tourists and visitors to the area. The by conifer/ornamental plantation. Hedgerows are relatively conservation area of St. Albans covers the whole area of sparse in the area with mostly elm/hawthorn/hazel with the the park and cathedral grounds. occasional field maple, elder and dog rose. A distinctive single row of purple-flowered horse chestnut marks the

pg 30 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment VERULAMIUM summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 98

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The area is contained by topography, vegetation and Total length of Public Rights of Way - 5966 settlement and is only locally visible. It is a medium scale Total length of Other Public Access - 1866 landscape whose distinctive archaeological features Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - n/a throughout create a feeling of unity. Views within the area Total length of all public access - 7,832m are limited and filtered by boundary vegetation and Area of LCA in square metres - 1,663,970 topography. Length to area ratio - 1:212 Rarity and distinctiveness. The area is unique in Hertfordshire by virtue of the importance of the COMMUNITY VIEWS archaeological features, which are internationally rare. The This area is regarded as distinctive. Roman theatre, remains of the Roman wall, parkland trees "Three years ago a good part of the wall was standing, but and lake and views to the cathedral are visual treasures. ever since, out of wretched ignorance, even of their own interest, they have been pulling it up all around, to the very VISUAL IMPACT foundations, to mend the highway" …. "the track of the The visual influence of the archaeological features is streets is visible when the corn first comes up or is nearly localized and in some cases there ae other subtle landscape ripe" "Itinerarium Curiosum or an account of the elements. The eyesores such as the road, running track , Antiquities and remarkable Curiosities in Nature Observed sub-station and some of the surrounding urban settlement in Travels through Great Britain" William Stukeley, 1724 is locally apparent. The cathedral dominates the skyline to the south, creating an imposing focal point for the area. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS St. Albans Conservation Area Scheduled Ancient Monument -the whole of the Roman town Landscape Conservation area (south west of Bluehouse Hill)

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: insignificantinsignificant Age structure of tree cover: mature Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmentedfragmented Impact of historic pattern: continuouscontinuous Management of semi-natural habitat: not obvious Visibility from outside: locallylocally visiblevisible Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: containedcontained Impact of built development: high Visual unity: coherentcoherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and andand reinforce conserve restorerestore

Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain restore character

WEAK MODERATE STRONGSTRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 31 VERULAMIUM summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 98

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING • encourage the restoration and enhancement of wet CHANGE: CONSERVE AND RESTORE grassland to provide a habitat for wading birds and • promote measures of agricultural and landscape wetland flora. management that enhance and emphasize the unity of • promote hard detailing proposals sympathetic to the the Roman settlement, particularly to link the areas north historic context of the area, with an emphasis on the use and south of the A4147 of natural and vernacular materials • restrict tree and shrub planting within areas of • within existing woodlands, encourage the replacement of archaeological interest to avoid disturbance of the softwoods with indigenous native deciduous integrity of remaining artefacts communities, provide hedgebank management and re- • survey and manage parkland and veteran trees for establish a species-rich ground flora biodiversity value • encourage the reversion of arable areas to grassland and • restrict ploughing of grasslands within the parkland to make provision for enhanced public access to these • promote strategies to visually mitigate intrusive built areas so as to improve the awareness of the extent of the features and adjacent urban areas Roman settlement • encourage the establishment of buffer strips of semi- natural vegetation along all watercourses, avoiding potential conflict with recreational use • protect river corridors and water meadows from development that would alter its character visually or environmentally, such as culverting or loss of water meadows. • encourage the enhancement and creation of wetland landscape features such as reedbeds, ponds, scrapes and pollarded willows. • improve the management of old meadows and pastures by ceasing fertiliser and herbicide application and introducing sensitive grassland management such as late hay cutting or low density livestock grazing. • ensure all existing and proposed recreational land uses include appropriate measures to manage and enhance the existing landscape setting and historical and ecological value. • maintain and develop the traditional pattern of roadside verges as a local feature and a wildlife resource. Promote a clear strategy for the visual and noise mitigation of • Verulamium Park and transport routes and integrate these corridors into the St. Albans cathedral local landscape character. (G.Lee)

pg 32 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment ROTHAMSTED PLATEAU AND KINSBOURNE GREEN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 99

area 99

District Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Tring

©Crown copyright .All rights reserved.

Hertfordshire County Council LA076678 2003 Berkhamsted Hemel Hempstead

LOCATION towards Luton Hoo Estate. Views are generally framed and This area borders the south-western fringe of Harpenden filtered by parkland planting and treed hedgerows. town and includes Kinsbourne Green village to the north, Rothamsted Park and Hammonds End Farm to the south. KEY CHARACTERISTICS LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • gently undulating plateau A linear, gently undulating, predominantly arable plateau • straight country lanes divided into three sub-sections. In the centre, the character • historic houses and parklands is influenced by the land use around Rothamsted • discontinuous field pattern agricultural experimental station. Rothamsted Manor house • urban fringe development and associated recreational is set in parkland, surrounded by small, geometric, field activities plots created for crop experiments. The southern tip of the • isolated farms plateau contains a smaller area of farmland, and urban fringe recreational uses as far south as the break of slope DISTINCTIVE FEATURES leading down to the Ver Valley. To the north of the • Rothamsted parkland and historic houses plateau, mixed arable and pasture farmland around • waymarked footpath and cycleway along the disused Kinsbourne Green becomes more open. The ornamental railway line planting associated with White Walls forms a distinctive • Roman burial ground feature. There are longer views from the edges of the • Kinsbourne Green common plateau to the north, over the surrounding lower land

White Walls • Kinsbourne Green (E.Staveley)

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 41 ROTHAMSTED PLATEAU AND KINSBOURNE GREEN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 99

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The bedrock chalk is overlaid by a drift Rothamsted manor house dates mainly from the 17th of clay-with-flints. It is an acidic clay upland with neutral century. Pevsner considers that the formal gardens date loams. Soils are stagnogleyic paleo-argillic brown earths - from the alterations of the house in 1860 and later. fine silty loamy with slowly permeable subsoils and slight Rothamsted park now houses the Institute of Arable Crop seasonal waterlogging. There are some well drained clayey Research (IACR) formerly Rothamsted Experimental Station. soils over chalk and variable quantities of flints (Batcombe A range of 20th-century buildings house laboratories and association). libraries bordering the eastern edge of the parkland. These In the past the leached acid clay soil required marling and have developed out of the experiments carried out by John chalk was locally available from the adjacent valley slopes. Bennett Lawes, a former owner of the manor house. The Topography. This linear plateau area stretches in a north parkland associated with Rothamsted is co-extensive with west/south east direction for approximately 5.5km. The the demesne of land of the medieval manor owned by St. area to the north slopes gently away in two directions from Albans Abbey. Kinsbourne Green, forming the upper slopes of valleys to Field pattern. The historic pattern has mainly been lost on the north east and to the south west. The central area and the plateau due to agricultural intensification and crop Rothamsted Experimental Station are mainly flat with slight patterns associated with the research station at Rothamsted. undulations while the area to the south, where a golf The field pattern is irregular with medium to large fields, course is situated, has more marked undulations. particularly bordering Kinsbourne Green Lane. The Degree of slope. The slopes down from Lady Bray Farm exception to this are the fields around Rothamsted, where average 1 in 30. The gradient of the slopes to the north the fields are more regular in shape and are medium to east from Rothamsted Manor House are 1 in 50 with the smal in size. slopes to the south slightly steeper at 1 in 45. The rest of Transport pattern. A number of straight, rural lanes pass the area is mainly flat. through the area, crossing each other at Kinsbourne Green. Altitude range. 155m at Lady Bray Farm in the north; The lanes in the north of the area are generally defined by 105m at the Sports Hall north of Rothamsted Experimental broken low hedgerows or narrow banks where hedgerows Station. once grew. Rothamsted Manor house is approached by Hydrology. Free draining soils result in little standing water. straight lime tree- lined avenues with wide verges and There is a large field drain for agricultural land to the north bordered to the south by Redbourn Lane (B487). A disused of Kinsbourne Green and a large pond to the north of railway line crosses the area in an north east/south west White Walls in the northern part of the area. Springs rise direction and is defined by parallel mature hedges. The here as well, e.g. Jenny's Spring, Eight Acre Spring and Long railway line is now used by walkers and cyclists and is Spring. There are small ponds associated with farmsteads known as the 'Nicky Line'. and settlements, e.g. Faulkner's End Farm and Rothamsted Settlements and built form. Settlement is dispersed across Experimental Station. the plateau and isolated farms and houses are key to the Land cover and land use. The predominant land cover is character of the area. The settlement of Kinsbourne Green arable farmland with secondary parkland and pastoral land is an unusual wayside development of large houses along use.s. Areas of grazing are typically closer to dwellings and the edge of a long linear common with no real centre. farmsteads, e.g. Lady Bray Farm. Recreation uses lie Rothamsted Manor House dates from the 17th century, adjacent to the urban fringe e.g. a rugby club and golf was altered in the 1860s and thereafter. The remains of an course off Redbourn Lane. early Roman mausoleum at Rothamsted are likely to be Vegetation and wildlife. Woodlands are scarce on the associated with Roman settlement in the area centred on a plateau and the remnants are discrete and linear. This is a villa. The site is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. transitional area between oak/hornbeam woodland on the White Walls, located to the west of Kinsbourne Green, is a Chiltern dip-slope and acidic oak/beech/holly woodland, large white house enclosed by ornamental woodlands and with significant elm presence on the margins. Other species arable land. include pine, ash, sweet chestnut and sycamore with hazel Other sources of area-specific information. English and hawthorn understorey species. Ornamental tree Heritage: Schedule entry planting is associated with the two manor houses in the area, Rothamsted Manor and White Walls. Planted Lombardy poplar trees to the south of Rothamsted Manor are prominent features as are the lime avenues that border the approach to the Manor. Stands of ornamental trees and conifers around White Walls stand out on the plateau. Hedgerow species comprise holly, rose, elder, elm, clematis and field maple with occasional oak, elm and ash as hedgerow trees.

pg 42 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment ROTHAMSTED PLATEAU AND KINSBOURNE GREEN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 99

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The Rothamsted park area of the plateau is concealed by a Total length of Public Rights of Way - 12,928m combination of access restrictions and the presence of Total length of Other Public Access - 1,337m vegetation in the form of field hedgerows and parkland Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 3,869m avenues. Lower and gappy hedgerows to the north of this Total length of all public access - 18,134m area, around Kinsbourne Green, allow longer views of a Area of LCA in square metres - 7,235,411 more open landscape, heightening awareness of the Length to area ratio - 1:399 plateau location. The area around White Walls house becomes very exposed with glimpses out towards the M1 COMMUNITY VIEWS corridor and sounds of distant traffic becoming more There is insufficient data to establish community views apparent. about this area at present. Rarity and distinctiveness. This character is typical of this In the past, Kinsbourne Green appears to have been a place area of Hertfordshire, however the field patterns created for of interest: “This was a real common then – in the trials by the Rothamsted IACR are unique. nineteen thirties. It had bracken and hawthorn trees and even, at the lower end, a small patch of heather, and VISUAL IMPACT harebells grew through the soft pinkish heath grasses. It The most dominant impact on the area is the development was a wonderful experience to stroll over this soft, mauve at Rothamsted park. The laboratories and facilities are and pink counterpane on a still summer evening” widespread. The M1 corridor has an influence on the Dora Barrett in Harpenden & District Local History Society character to the west of Kinsbourne Green, detracting from Newsletter No.45, February 1988 the rural character of this area. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS Conservation Area:Harpenden ( south east corner) SM: Rothamsted Romano-British site.

CONDITION STRENGTH OF CHARACTER Land cover change: localised Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mature Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmented Impact of historic pattern: continuous Management of semi-natural habitat: poor Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: interrupted Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: low Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment pg 43 ROTHAMSTED PLATEAU AND KINSBOURNE GREEN summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 99

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING • restore arable land to permanent pasture and meadow. CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE Priority will be given to land which buffers or links sites • promote the creation of a network of new medium to of existing wildlife importance large woodlands in the open arable landscape, • new (and only necessary) buildings and structures to be particularly with a view to visually integrating the in keeping with the primary age of the remaining historic intrusive motorways and urban fringe development character of the site (without resorting to pastiche) • for existing woodlands, encourage the replacement of • within golf courses a high proportion of the total area softwoods with indigenous native deciduous shall be dedicated to and maintained as wildlife habitat, communities, hedgebank management and re- building upon established areas of wildlife interest already establishing a species-rich ground flora present. Landscape management plans to be an integral • utilise ancient hedge and field boundaries toestablish the part of the facilities most appropriate location for wood restoration and expansion • encourage the reversal of habitat fragmentation and the creation and improvement of habitat links to create eco- corridors • use native stock of local provenance wherever possible. • survey and manage parkland and veteran trees for biodiversity value • ensure new planting is encouraged to maintain age diversity. Ensure landscape improvements respect the historic context of existing features and the form and character of parkland and gardens. Ornamental species should only be used to replace damaged or over-mature specimens, where appropriate • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout the area to provide visual and ecological links between existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries where possible • restore ditches and discourage enclosure of existing open drainage systems • provide new uncropped or grass field margins to link areas of wildlife importance and/or existing and proposed • Field trialsRothamstead rights of way Experimental Station( HCC)

pg 44 Dacorum Landscape Character Assessment HARPENDEN COMMON summarysummary assessment evaluation guidelines are100a 100

County Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Bishops Hertfordshire County Council area 100 Stortford LA076678 2001 Harpenden Hertford

Hatfield Hemel St Albans Hempstead

Watford

LOCATION A narrow wedge of land situated between KEY CHARACTERISTICS Hatching Green in the south west and Harpenden to the • open semi natural landscape in close proximity of north and east. The area extends to Ayres End Lane in the Harpenden south. • mosaic of grassland habitats • remnant heathland plant communities LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • secondary woodland and scrub habitats both within and The common provides a relaxed entrance to sub-urban to the fringes of the common Harpenden . The range of grassland communities help to • extensive and mixed recreational uses,( including create an informal character which supports a range of Harpenden Common Golf Course, Cricket Club,Football recreational activities , both active and passive. Travelling Club and site for local fairs nearer town centre) northwards into Harpenden there are fine elevated views • prestigious residential properties , many in mock Tudor across the common, framed by adjacent woody style with large gardens and exotic trees fringing the vegetation , leading the eye into the heart of the 'village' common like town, which is set around a green and broad tree lined High Street. Secondary woodland has partially DISTINCTIVE FEATURES encroached on the common. • ditches around golf course • roads across golf course • pub ( to S.E.) overlooking common • ponds to east of common • undulating topography within Prickle Dells

Mock tudor residential to • fringe of common (J.Billingsley)

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 37 HARPENDEN COMMON summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 100

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES central area between Walkers Road and Cravells Road is Geology and soils. The chalk bedrock geology is overlaid dominated by Prickle Dells and St. Johns Wood which with plateau drift . The core of the area is distinguished contains some ancient wooodland indicators e.g. by a band of plateau drift valley gravels overlying the bluebells and ransons together with both ferns and chalk while to the north-east and south-west of the area sphagnum moss. The Small and Essex Skipper butterfies the drift is more typical of the clay-with-flints that covers have been recorded to the fringes of these woodland much of the neighbouring plateau areas.The soils are habitats. stagnogleyic paleo-agrillic brown earths which are fine HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES silty over clayey and fine loamy over clayey soils with Harpenden itself originated as a hamlet of cottages slowly permeable subsoils and slight seasonal grouped round the common, rather than a nucleated waterlogging. Some well drained clayey soils over chalk village. St Nicholas church originated as a chapel of rest and variably flinty serving the hamlet. Sheep grazing was present on the ( Batcombe association). common until the 19th century. The common has been a Topography. The central area is mainly flat but slopes to notable centre for recreational pursuits through the both the north and south.There is a localized undulating centuries back as far as the archery butts. The common topography in the vicinity of Prickle Dells ,reflecting the provided a site for the Meet of the Hertfordshire Hunt. site of old clay workings. Between 1848 and 1914 the common became the home Degree of slope. Typically 1 in 20 to the north, 1 in 60 an annual race meeting. Horses would arrive from to the south and virtually flat to the centre. Newmarket by train at Batford and then be escorted by Altitude range. Maximum of 130m to the centre, with special police to the common. The location of the the majority of the area around the 120m contour but Paddock enclosure can still be identified on Limbrick falling away gently to 100m in the north. Road by a square of trees.The Common was registered Hydrology. There are various ponds to the north east of as a metropolitan common under the 1925 Law of the common adjacent to Southdown Road. These were Property Act. Today there are a number of owners, originally disused gravel pits. The one furthest from the including Harpenden Town Council, three tenants and town was the deepest while the two nearer the town one commoner with grazing rights for 400 sheep and 20 were formed during the 1930s when work was found geese. for the unemployed by constructing a surface water Field pattern. The area is unified by its historical origin as sewer from the' Old Bells' to the pits. These pits are still an unenclosed open margined common. There are some affected by urban pollutants, particularly surface water 20th century leisure uses that have disrupted the pattern run off.. e.g. Harpenden Common Golf Course. A small parcel of Land cover and land use. Land cover within the area is a land to the south west corner of pre 18th century predominantly grassland with some secondary woodland irregular enclosure has recently been brought within the and localised pockets of scrub. Land uses are mainly golf course. recreational. These comprise formal activities including Transport pattern. The A1081 crosses the western side Harpenden Common Golf Course , Harpenden Cricket of the common where it is met by the B487 from Club and Harpenden Rovers Football Club, while other Redbourn. There are a number of minor roads crossing areas support more informal recreation including dog the common , some of which pass through the golf walking and kite flying. Closer to the town centre, course. Most roads are linear in character and the travelling fairs occupy part of the common in the boundaries are generally formed by ditches. There is a summer. One of the ponds to the edge of the common small visually prominent car park to the north of the was historically used for ice skating while the undulating common. ground within Prickle Dells is currently used by young Settlements and built form. The long sides of the funnel cyclists. shaped common are lined with properties, however, until Vegetation and wildlife. The primary value of the area is almost at the town centre they are screened by in terms of its mosaic of grassland and heathland secondary oak woodland.Mock tudor half timbered communities. These include semi-improved neutral houses, largely dating from the early 20th century flank grassland, remnant acidic grassland and pockets of the common, having been built for the wealthy London calcareous grassland, alongside the more intensively commuter. On the common itself the buildings are managed amenity areas. The acidic grassland is limited to the pavilions and club houses of the three dominated by Common Bent and Red Fescue with areas sports clubs. of remnant heather and gorse, particularly to the south Other sources of area-specific information. and including areas of rough between fairways within Harpenden Common Management Plan - Countryside the golf course.Locally rare species include Fine-leaved Management Service, HBRC and Harpenden Town Sandwort, Ling Heather, Crested Hair-grass and Yellow Council - (Reviewed on a 5 year cycle, next period Rattle. Secondary woodland and scrub has developed to 2002-2007.) the fringes of the common e.g. West Common and within the golf course.Oak is the predominant species Grassland Monitoring Project, Habitat Survey of 55/002 with ash, hawthorn,elm and sycamore also present. The HBRC June 2001

pg 38 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment HARPENDEN COMMON summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 100

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The common is largely concealed from surrounding areas There is open access over the common with the exception with limited links to the surrounding countryside. Views of of most of the golf course. Harpenden Town Council has the common from neighbouring houses are equally limited created a permisive bridleway around the common to guide to those directly adjacent . There is a medium to small scale recreational users. in the landscape pattern . The visual unity is generally Total length of Public Rights of Way - 1,360m coherent, however the range of recreational activities and Total length of Other Public Access - 5m management measures create some incongruous elements Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 1,495m in the landscape. There is noise intrusion from the local Total length of all public access - 2,860m roads that intersect the common, however there is Area of LCA in square metres - 1,170,250 generally a relaxed atmosphere as open space meets town . Length to area ratio - 1:409 Most of the views to the town are framed by secondary woodland and the distant horizons to the north and east COMMUNITY VIEWS are also defined by mature vegetation. Research undertaken in 2002 identified Harpenden Rarity and distinctiveness. The close proximity of a large Common as a highly valued landscape, particularly as a common to a town is rare if not unique to the County. “country” amenity for the town [A]. "We were exceedingly struck with the beauty of the village VISUAL IMPACT as we entered it for the first time….. After breakfast we As development has been carefully controlled there are few unpacked and took a walk on the Common with Mr intrusive built features around the fringes of the common. Phillips, there is a delightful view of the village from the In fact the adjacent houses and the many mature trees in hill." private gardens are significant components of the character Elizabeth Read's Journal, quoted in "A view of Harpenden in of the area. Within the common there are some features 1821", Harpenden and District Local History Society No.9 that visually jar to varying degrees including: the small car April 1976 park to the north, the golf club and the transient amusement fairs. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS Greenbelt County Wildlife Site Harpenden Conservation Area ( most of the common and surrounding built up area) Landscape Conservation Area ( south west corner - no overlap with Conservation Area)

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: localisedlocalised Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: widespread Impact of historic pattern: interruptedinterrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: concealedconcealed Survival of cultural pattern: interruptedinterrupted Sense of enclosure: containedcontained Impact of built development: lowlow Visual unity: coherentcoherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: unique

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and andand and reinforce strengthenstrengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore

Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain restore character

WEAK MODERATE STRONGSTRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 39 HARPENDEN COMMON summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 100

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING should be prevented CHANGE: CONSERVE AND STRENGTHEN • promote traffic calming measures on minor roads where • support the current management plan for the common considered necessary. Materials and designs must be of a to conserve the mix of habitat types and the balance scale and design that relates to the local landscape between nature conservation,recreation and public character of the area. access. Promote local initiatives for further improvements • for all formal recreational facilities including the and encourage traditional management measures Harpenden Golf Course and the Cricket Club, a long- wherever feasible term management plan should be produced and adhered •encourage the retention of ponds to the north east and to rigorously. Liaison with local groups is to be to enhance their visual and wildlife value. To monitor and encouraged to deal with changing circumstances, via promote measures to improve the water quality of ponds annual meetings of interested parties. A high proportion on the common in liaison with the Environment Agency of the total area shall be dedicated to and maintained as • conserve unimproved and semi-improved grassland wildlife habitat, building upon established areas of wherever possible, avoiding the use of fertilizers to wildlife interest already present reduce their acid nature, in order to maintain their nature • ensure all existing and proposed recreational land uses conservation value. include appropriate measures to manage and enhance • for areas of semi-improved acid grassland avoid over- the existing landscape setting and historical and grazing, heavy public pressure, damage from vehicles, ecological value. Particular attention should be given to pollution and invasion by alien species ensure earth work proposals complement the natural • promote a planting strategy to provide a framework to landform patterns. visually integrate both the permanent structures e.g. • promote initiatives to increase the extent of heathland Club houses and the transient recreational activities on plant communities, and thereby promote the BAP the common e.g. fairs objectives for the locality • support the conservation area status of the common . To • encourage where feasible the reintroduction of traditional restrict any new built development and control grazing methods on the common development adjacent to the common that may affect • promote the educational value of the common with local either its ecology or amenity value schools and youth groups • promote the development of a strategy for recreation • support a programme of rotational scrub management to associated parking on the common so as to minimize the maintain a healthy mosaic of habitats visual impact of parked vehicles on the setting of the • promote clear and safe routes for walkers , cyclists and common while allowing for safety and accessibility equestrians through the common particularly through • improve and update the interpretive material to illustrate areas where there are potential conflicts with nature the nature conservation value and history of the conservation and recreation e.g. by providing cut paths common through hay meadows • maintain ditches adjacent to roads to prevent unauthorized vehicular access • monitor and control dog fouling • restrict further encroachment on the common by secondary and scrub woodland • improve public access and safety within existing woodlands • promote the appropriate management of secondary woodland in order to re-establish a rich ground flora and the distinction between different management systems, such as high forest, coppice, coppice with standards and wood pasture • seek to resolve conflicts arising from competing uses on the common including golf and walking • prevent of the spread of invasive and non native species • use locally indigenous species and native stock of local provenance wherever possible. The use of exotic species

• Toward Harpenden (J.Billingsley)

pg 40 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment CHILDWICK PLATEAU summarysummary assessment evaluation guidelines are101a 101

County Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Bishops Hertfordshire County Council area 101 Stortford LA076678 2001 Harpenden Hertford

Hatfield Hemel St Albans Hempstead

Watford

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area is situated between St Albans to the south, • strong plateau character with largely contained views Harpenden to the north, the A1081 to the east and the Ver • formal estate character with common architectural valley to the west. detailing LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • mature parkland and plantation woodlands concentrated There is a marked estate feel to this plateau landscape. around Childwick Bury and Batchwood Hall To the north it has a more open character with fields mainly • mixed species including conifers create varied skylines to pasture/grassland and a stud farm at Childwick Hall, with • impact of adjacent urban areas generally well screened or a combination of traditional metal fences and clipped integrated hedges with intermittent field trees. In the centre a • Childwick, particularly the stud and Childwick Bury, have traditional parkland landscape cocoons the secluded strong private feel Childwick Bury. The busy A1081 Harpenden Road lies to the east, but otherwise there is a private estate character DISTINCTIVE FEATURES with limited public access. • Childwick Bury village green To the south there are more urban influences, including the • ornamental water tower golf club, country club and night club at Batchwood Hall. • ornamental lodges on Harpenden Road Residential areas at New Green and the associated schools • rare breed livestock at Childwick Bury and playing fields have local influence but are generally • Batchwood Hall country club and golf course visually contained.

Estate cottage at • Childwick Green (HCC Landscape Unit)

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 41 CHILDWICK PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 101

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES pattern of dispersed farms and hamlets characteristic of Geology and soils. The chalk bedrock geology is much of the plateau areas in the district had emerged. predominantly overlaid with a clay-with-flints drift, with Childwick appears to have been one such small hamlet. The areas of undifferentiated solid rock at the edges of the site of the medieval moated manor of Batch Wood or plateau area and chalk at the surface at the south-east Childwicksay, now a Scheduled Ancient Monument, lies to end.The acidic clays loams are stagnogleyic paleo-argillic the north east of Batchwood Hall. In later centuries the brown earths, fine silty and loamy over clayey soils with estates have exerted a strong influence on the cultural slowly permeable subsoils and slight seasonal waterlogging. pattern. Childwick Bury’s manorial history dates back to Some well drained clayey soils over chalk, variably flinty Saxon times and it was the property of St. Albans Abbey (Batcombe association). until the Dissolution. Its significant gardens and parkland Topography. This area lies on the elevated plateau east of are shown on maps of 1766. By 1881 the manor consisted the Ver Valley. The area is mainly flat with some minor local of 14,000 acres of farms, woodland and parks. The Prince variations in landform caused by the brick and chalk pits in of Wales entertained guests at the mansion and in the late the parkland . At Batchwood Hall, slopes form the head of 20th century the estate was owned by Stanley Kubrick, a dry valley which is part of the Ver Valley system. creator of such films as 2001 A Space Odyssey and Degree of slope. The dry valley in the north east is very Clockwork Orange. Childwick Stud was introduced by Sir shallow, with average slopes of 1 in 57. The dry valley in John Blundell in the late 19th century and was expanded the southern section has steeper slopes, averaging 1 in 24. from1903 by the diamond millionaire Jack Joel, who bred The rest of the area is mainly flat. many great horses. Lord Grimthorpe (1816-1903), Altitude range. 130m in the centre; 95m in the north east. responsible for the the clock mechanism for Big Ben, also Hydrology. There is little standing water in this area of high restored St. Albans Abbey, which he could view from his ground - a pond east of Ladygrove Wood, a well at home at Batchwood Hall. Childwick Green and small pond in the south of the area at Field pattern. Most of the area to the south is informal Batchwood golf course.. A local habitat of note is the wood fenced parkland. To the north there is a mix of regular fields of Kilmart's Spring, indicating a rising spring. around Childwick Hall and Childwick Stud with a pattern of Land cover and land use. The primary land cover is pre 18th-century irregular enclosure and isolated prairie grassland with the main land use being pasture on either fields towards the upper slopes of the Ver valley. parkland or within fields- there is an equestrian stud at Throughout the Childwick Estate traditional metal railing Childwick. To the south the parkland landscape combines fences provide enclosure. with woodland, ornamental grounds and recreational uses, Transport pattern. The area is firmly marked to the east by including a golf course at Batchwood and playing fields to the A1081 Harpenden Road. Elsewhere there are only the north of St. Albans. There is a limited amount of arable private estate tracks and narrow minor roads with minimal in the extreme north. verges. Vegetation and wildlife. There are a number of small to Settlements and built form. This dispersed pattern of medium sized woods in the centre and south of the area, settlement has concentrations around the Halls and estate giving an interlocking characterto the Childwick Bury farms. Clusters of distinctive 19th-century brick-built estate parkland. There are some ancient woodlands, e.g. Batch cottages add character. at Beesonend and Childwick Green. Wood and Ladies Grove. Speciesin the south comprise an The latter, with the domestic scaled St Mary's church by oak/ash/beech mix with hazel and cherry. Throughout the Gilbert Scott and a miniature Jacobean house, forms a parklands there are more ornamental species and features, picturesque hamlet grouped around an enclosed village including a lime avenue and specimen sweet chestnut and green and well. Flint is used locally in boundary walls. cedar. Rhododendrons have been introduced to the Childwick Bury is a large late 17th-century mansion, understorey at Green Wood. In the north the mix is probably built by Joshua Lomax and altered in the 18th oak/hornbeam/elm with some modern introductions of century, 1854 and 1900. On the Harpenden Road the linear belts of conifers by Childwick Stud. ornamental iron gate of a distinctive elaborately detailed Hedges are typically clipped and a mix of hawthorn, black- red brick and terracotta lodge (1897) matches those at the thorn and elm, however within the estate pasture to the entrance to the mansion within the parkland. The stables north many of the hedges are predominantly hawthorn associated with Childwick Stud make a positive with few hedgerow trees. There is virtually no semi-natural contribution to the locality. grassland except where locally present within hedgerows. Batchwood Hall was built by Lord Grimthorpe in a neo- Locally important rare species include the Greater Butterfly Georgian style in the late 19th century. Remains of parts of Orchid and Solomon's Seal. There are several rare fungi and its Victorian garden are of note. bryophytes in Batch Wood. Other sources of area specific information. "ChildwickBury- Adream of loveliness" Daphne Hutchins, Herts Countryside HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Vol.34 No.239 1979 March p22-3 A Roman villa lies on the edge of the plateau a short distance west of Bush wood, overlooking the Ver Valley, but Conservation Area Character Statement otherwise prehistoric and Roman settlement in the area seems to have been sparse. By the later middle ages the

pg 42 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment CHILDWICK PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 101

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY To the south the interlocking character of the woodland, Two bridleways cross the area and Beesonend Lane drops particularly on the fringes of the area, helps to create a down to the ford at Redbournbury on the Ver. Otherwise strong sense of containment and privacy from the there is limited access and much of the Childwickbury surrounding areas, including the New Greens estate at St. estate is noticeably marked as 'private' . The main hall is Albans. This is a medium scale and coherent landscape concealed from the adjacent bridleway by dense planting, with limited intrusion from adjacent noises except for the possibly a function of the former owner’s reclusive A1081.To the north where the enclosure is limited there personality. are open views to the Ver valley, e.g. from Beesonend Lane. Total length of Public Rights of Way - 6,807m Rarity and distinctiveness. The parklands and estate Total length of Other Public Access - 1,345m landscapes are relatively unusual in this part of the county. Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 1,345m The retention of the livestock grazing, including some rare Total length of all public access - 9,497m breeds within the parkland, is a distinctive feature. Area of LCA in square metres - 4,751,569 Length to area ratio -1:500 VISUAL IMPACT The only significant impacts on the area are from adjacent COMMUNITY VIEWS built development. These include Hatching Green to the This area is widely recognised for its distinctiveness. north, where there are some incongruous ornamental trees “Childwick in daffodil time, with the wild cherry blossom in in rear gardens and to the south at New Greens estate the woods beyond, is a dream of loveliness to which those with its associated secondary school. However, in the latter who have once seen it make a yearly pilgrimage”. boundary hedges and woodland are relatively strong Constance Toulmin in ‘Happy Memories’, Faith Press 1960. features of the landscape. Within the area the current uses p.11. at Batchwood Hall comprise some visually intrusive structures and poorly maintained parking areas. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS Greenbelt Landscape Conservation Area (except north of Childwick Stud and playing fields and school at New Green) Childwickbury Conservation Area (covers much of the estate) Scheduled Ancient Monument- Batch Wood moated manorial site

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: localisedlocalised Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmentedfragmented Impact of historic pattern: interruptedinterrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: not obvious Visibility from outside: concealedconcealed Survival of cultural pattern: interruptedinterrupted Sense of enclosure: containedcontained Impact of built development: lowlow Visual unity: coherentcoherent Impact of land-use change: lowlow Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and andand reinforce conserve restorerestore

Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain restore character

WEAK MODERATE STRONGSTRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 43 CHILDWICK PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 101

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING • promote both the creation of new ponds and the CHANGE: CONSERVE AND RESTORE retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds • ensure landscape improvements respect the historic • provide new uncropped or grass field margins to link context of existing features and the form and character areas of wildlife importance and /or existing and of parkland and gardens. Ornamental species should only proposed rights of way be used to replace damaged or over-mature specimens. • encourage the retention of existing stables for equestrian New planting is encouraged to maintain age diversity and activity the removal of inappropriate planting should be • promote the use of traditional field enclosure by metal encouraged fencing or hedges where land is converted to equestrian • survey and manage parkland and veteran trees for pasture biodiversity value • ensure that new development, conversions and their • within the historic estates of Childwick and Batchwood surroundings within estates are designed and maintained hard landscaping details such as gates, metal railings, to be in keeping with their historic settings. Car parks steps and balustrades, should be conserved. Lodges, should be sensitively sited and use appropriate materials. follies, obelisks, terraces and boundary walls should • where new development is permitted native tree species contribute to the planned landscape and its setting. only should be planted on boundaries, with Replacement, renovated or new features should be exotic/ornamental species only in close proximity to the architect designed and in keeping with their original dwellings setting • golf courses should only be permitted within historic • restrict ploughing of grasslands within parklands and parklands where the original layout and features of the encourage reversion from arable uses to pasture and grounds are retained, all existing trees are retained and grassland adequate provision is made for their maintenance and • improve public access arrangements across whole area, management. Particular attention should be given to providing circular walks from adjacent residential areas ensure earthworks proposals complement the natural and access to woodlands landform patterns • promote the appropriate management of coppice • an appropriate buffer zone can be created around any woodland in order to re-establish a rich ground flora and historic artefacts, such as mansions, lodges, walls, etc., the distinction between different management systems, to protect their historic integrity such as high forest and coppice-with standards. • ensure all existing and proposed recreational land uses • promote the expansion of existing woodland, especially include appropriate measures to manage and enhance where this will help in creating habitat links and develop the existing landscape setting and historical and a sense of visual containment to the north and north ecological value. To include golf courses and playing west of the area fields • use native indigenous species and wherever possible stock • maintain and manage the verges of existing roads for of local provenance. Prevent the spread of invasive nature conservation interest. species such as Rhododendron ponticum • promote hedgerow restoration and creation to the north of the area to provide visual and ecological links. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries where possible. Hedges to the south to be maintained high and strengthened to restrict the visual impact of adjacent residential areas

• Childwick Bury parkland (J. Billingsley)

pg 44 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment AYRES END VALLEYS AND RIDGES summarysummary assessment evaluation guidelines are102a 102

County Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Bishops Hertfordshire County Council area 102 Stortford LA076678 2001 Harpenden Hertford

Hatfield Hemel St Albans Hempstead

Watford

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS This area is bounded by the A1081 to the west, Harpenden • open dry valleys overlooked by smaller areas of plateau and Wheathampstead to the north and Sandridge and St. on the fringes Albans to the east and south. The area is split into two • quiet area with few visual detractors except the A1081 unequal parts by the linear settlement of Sandridge along and mainline railway to the west the B651. • small woods on the upper slopes emphasize the valleys LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • area served by narrow, winding roads lined by dense A network of dry interconnecting valleys with a sense of mixed hedgerows rural seclusion despite the close proximity of settlements on • mixed arable, pasture and recreational land uses the higher ground to the rear of the smaller plateau areas • number of equestrian establishments associated with on the fringes of this area. The visual containment is aided small country houses, including The Grove and by the prominent small and medium sized woods located Sandridgebury on the upper reaches of the valley sides. Narrow lanes and • locally prominent built edges to adjacent settlements equestrian activities create a relatively relaxed feel. The • isolated properties or small clusters of dwellings, generally plateau areas are more open, with large arable fields and with strong vernacular architecture intermittent clipped hedgerows. On the fringes of the adjacent urban settlements there is a greater emphasis on DISTINCTIVE FEATURES recreational activities, including playing fields, equestrian • new playing fields for St Albans School and Old Albanians activity, golf and community woodland. at Cheapside Farm off A1081 • Ayres End Green • St Pancras- Sheffield mainline railway and gantries • new golf course at Long Acre Farm • Jersey Farm woodland park, St Albans • St. Leonards Church, Sandridge, with flint and shingle tower • enclosed high sided hedgerow north of Sandridge on B651

Paddocks off Pipers Lane ( J.Billingsley)

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 45 AYRES END VALLEYS AND RIDGES summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 102

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES interesting ground flora including bluebell. On the arable Geology and soils. The chalk bedrock geology is overlaid by plateau areas the hedges are tightly clipped and the clay-with-flints on the higher/plateau areas and by landscape more open, however there has been tree undifferentiated chalky drift on the slopes. The valleys planting around Cheapside Farm. Remnant natural contain sand and gravels while on the plateau area the grasslands e.g. Ayres End Meadows are dominated by acidic clay loams are stagnogleyic paleo-argillic brown Creeping Soft Grass, Bents and Red Fescue. Locally earths with slowly permeable subsoils and slight seasonal important rare species include Creeping Formentii waterlogging with some well drained clayey soils over (Potentilla angelica) at Ayre's End and the Natterer's Bat. chalk, variably flinty (Batcombe association). In the valley bottoms and lower slopes between Harpenden and St HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Albans there are typical argillic brown earths, well drained On the east of the area a finger of sandy soils from the fine silty soils, locally very flinty, some shallow over flint north-eastern outskirts of St Albans, through Sandridge to gravel (Charity 2 association). These dry valleys also contain Nomansland Common, led to early exploitation. Remains of river terrace gravels and areas of sandy soils between St. burial mounds dating to the 2nd millennium BC lie west of Albans and Nomansland Common. (See also Area 103). Sandridge. On the southern edge of the area, adjacent to f Topography. This markedly undulating landscape of St. Albans, is a short length of the Beech Bottom dyke plateau areas and dry valleys separates St. Albans and whcih dates from the early 1st century AD. It has been Harpenden. A small section in the south is cut off from the suggested that the pronounced hedgebank on the west side rest of the area by Sandridge, which is on a subtle ridge. of the B 651 between Sandridge and Wheathampstead, Slopes are slightly steeper in the northern half of the area, which marks the line of the medieval parish boundary, also where the landscape is more rolling. In comparison the marks a prehistoric boundary between Beech Bottom Dyke southern half comprises a plateau area with a south-east and the Devils Dyke in Wheathampstead. The most facing slope. notable historic feature of the landscape, first mentioned in Degree of slope. To the north the slopes average 1 in 32 the late Saxon period, is a long, curving boundary, marked while from the central plateau to the south east they are by fields and tracks, from the western end of Nomansland typically 1 in 20. Common to northwest of Cheapside farm. There is a Altitude range. 85m in the south east; 125m in the plateau manorial site within Thames Wood. areas of the north, north west and centre. Field pattern. Field patterns derive mainly from the pre Hydrology. Standing water is rare in this area of high 18th-century irregular enclosure. There was some later ground and dry valleys. Local wood names suggest springs, parliamentary enclosure, but the significant impact has wells or wet areas, e.g. Long Spring, Pismire Spring, Pudler's been the creation of large prairie fields in the later part of Wood and Secret Spring. There is a pond at Cheapside the 20th century, particularly to the south of the area. To Farm, a well at Green Cottages and a pond and wet drain the north of Nomansland are a few former unenclosed near the playground at Jersey Farm. Nearby House Lane is common arable fields. Field sizes are medium to the north susceptible to flooding north of the roundabout, as is the while to the south west and south east they are larger B651 north of Sandridge. and more regular in shape. Locally there are some Land cover and land use. The primary land use is arable reasonably intact portions of hedgerow networks, e.g. at cropping. However there is also a good proportion of Cross Farm immediately south of Harpenden. Smaller equestrian pasture, including sites at Sandridgebury and paddocks have been created by sub-dividing larger fields Pipers Lane. Around the perimeter of the area and with temporary fencing to serve local equestrian activity, adjacent to the settlements of Harpenden and St. Albans e.g. along Pipers Lane and Sandridgebury. there is a range of leisure-related land uses, including Transport pattern. Narrow winding lanes with narrow extensive new playing fields for the St Albans School and verges are typical and where they rise up the steeper slopes Old Albanians on the A1081, the pay and play golf course to the plateau there are some pronounced sunken lanes. at Long Acre Farm and the Jersey Farm Woodland Park The exceptions to this pattern are the busy A1081 to the north of St. Albans. There is a small orchard at Cheapside west of the area and the B651which runs between St. Farm Albans and Wheathampstead. The London to Sheffield Vegetation and wildlife. The area contains a number of main line railway is mainly in cutting as it crosses from small to medium sized discrete woods, some of which are north to south. ancient, e.g. Thames Wood, Langley Wood, Pudler's Wood, Settlements and built form. Clappers Wood and Eight Acre Wood. The main species There is a dispersed settlement pattern with small hamlets mix is oak/hornbeam with variable amounts of elm. There e.g. Amwell and Ayres End , isolated farms and occasional are also a number of later plantations, e.g. Pismire Spring, white rendered cottages. Traditional building materials such where species include cherry, ash and larch. The main as clay tile and brick are prevalent. Cross Farm, originally a hedgerow species are hawthorn/blackthorn and elm with Saxon hall, has a 17th-century gable brick front . An smaller amounts of hazel, holly and field maple. Hedgerow impressive range of brick, weatherboard and clay tile barns trees are mainly oak, holly and ash. Sunken lanes and tall can be seen from Cross Lane. The parish church of St. overgrown hedges are common on the steeper slopes, e.g. Leonard is a distinctive feature in the landscape with its flint Pipers Lane. Mud Lane is a notable green lane with tower and chamfered shingle spire.

pg 46 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment AYRES END VALLEYS AND RIDGES summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 102

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION railway are only locally intrusive features, as much of the The area is generally both visually contained and coherent. route is in cutting. Despite the close proximity of a number of towns the distant and enclosing views are largely formed and framed ACCESSIBILITY by vegetation or landform. This a peaceful area with few Total length of Public Rights of Way - 16,094m detractors, particularly in the central core. The harmonious Total length of Other Public Access - n/a blend of dwellings using traditional materials adds to the Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 5,184m appeal of the area. The central ridge between Cheapside Total length of all public access - 21,278 Farm and Hillend Farm is more exposed. The most Area of LCA in square metres - 11,125,144 significant noise source is from the main line railway. Length to area ratio - 1:523 Rarity and distinctiveness. The landscape type is frequent within the county. COMMUNITY VIEWS This area is widely regarded for its distinctive landscapes, VISUAL IMPACT particularly as a setting to Nomansland Common (and some Locally there are some relatively raw built edges to the would not see such a marked boundary between the two open countryside , e.g. along Cross Lane , Harpenden, to character areas), but also for locations in the north and the southern boundary of Wheathampstead and from parts west of the area. The impact of more recent changes in and of Sandridge. However, the wider countryside is protectd around the area, however, has the occasional critic: from the full impact of the more extensive residential "Sandridge- Subtopian clutter in a village that has ribboned areas, which are either set back from the ridgelines or out to join St. Albans….Opposite the church, Pound Farm, screened by belts of trees, which in some cases include a mellow and ivy-smothered, is guarded by four grotesquely relatively high proportion of conifers, e.g. north of Amwell. truncated oaks" R. M. Healey in "Hertfordshire, A Shell While the new playing fields on the A1081 represent a Guide" Faber & Faber 1982. substantial development in the open countryside, the planting proposals include a number of copses, small LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS woods and new hedges which respect the local pattern Greenbelt and native species mixes. Recreational land uses on the Landscape Conservation Area (north of Cheapside Farm and edge of St. Albans, e.g. Jersey Farm Woodland Park, include Hillend Farm) significant areas of new woodland. Within the equestrian Amwell Conservation Area areas the use of temporary fencing is discordant with the Childwickbury Conservation area (north-west corner) traditional pattern of hedgerows. The overhead gantries, Sandridge Conservation Area associated earthworks and structures along the main line

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: localizedlocalized Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: mixed Impact of land cover: apparent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: fragmentedfragmented Impact of historic pattern: interruptedinterrupted Management of semi-natural habitat: not obvious Visibility from outside: locallylocally visiblevisible Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: containedcontained Impact of built development: lowlow Visual unity: coherentcoherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: frequentfrequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve ImproveImprove Conserve and andand and reinforce conserveconserve restore

Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain restore character

WEAK MODERATE STRONGSTRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 47 AYRES END VALLEYS AND RIDGES summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 102

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING are retained, protected, enhanced and integrated into CHANGE: IMPROVE AND CONSERVE any new development with due regard to their historic, • promote the appropriate management of coppice ecological and landscape value woodland in order to re-establish a rich ground flora and • ensure that the surroundings of converted and new the distinction between different management systems, buildings are designed and maintained to be in keeping such as high forest, coppice and coppice-with-standards with their agricultural surroundings. ‘Garden’ details are • utilize ancient hedge, field and woodland boundaries to to be screened from view where possible and native establish the most appropriate location for wood species used for hedging and tree planting on the restoration and expansion and creating eco-corridors. perimeter Build on the pattern of woodland on the upper slopes of • within golf courses a high proportion of the total area the valley sides shall be dedicated to and maintained as wildlife habitat, • use indigenous species and native stock of local building upon established areas of wildlife interest already provenance wherever possible present. Landscape management plans to be an integral • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout part of the planning consent and maintenance the area , particularly in the south , to provide visual and • new buildings and structures to be in keeping with the ecological links between existing and proposed woodland local vernacular and remaining historic character of the areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries where site . possible • ensure all existing and proposed recreational land uses • promote both the creation of new ponds and the include appropriate measures to manage and enhance retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds the existing landscape setting and historical and • improve public access arrangements including the scope ecological value. Developments on the urban edge to be for circular walks from adjacent settlements and access integrated by the use of native woodland, copses and to woodlands hedgerows. • provide new uncropped or grass field margins to link • promote planting schemes that will reduce the impact of areas of wildlife importance and/or existing and proposed existing urban development on the landscape of adjacent rights of way areas • promote the retention and restoration of existing • promote planting to screen the impact of the mainline orchards and the creation of new orchards railway and A1081 • encourage the reuse of existing agricultural buildings for • maintain and develop the traditional pattern of roadside equestrian activity and introduce native planting schemes verges as a local feature and a wildlife resource Where to integrate them into the landscape development is likely to affect verges and damage is • promote the use of traditional field enclosure where land unavoidable, development should include details of is converted to equestrian pasture. Introduce new copses protection of the remaining verge and replacement of its within areas of pasture e.g. Sandridgebury and Pipers nature conservation value within the proposed scheme. Lane This is particularly important where verges include • conserve unimproved and semi-improved grassland, e.g. hedgebanks, sunken lanes, ditches and hedges. at Ayres End,, wherever possible, avoiding agricultural improvements, so as to maintain their nature conservation value • avoid over-grazing and heavy public pressure on • Ayres End areas of semi-improved grassland (E. Anderson) • ensure that ancient lanes and their associated hedgerows

pg 48 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment NOMANSLAND COMMON summarysummary assessment evaluation guidelines are103a 103

County Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Stevenage ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. area 103 Bishops Hertfordshire County Council Stortford LA076678 2001 Harpenden Hertford

Hatfield Hemel St Albans Hempstead

Watford

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS A small area off the B651 between Sandridge and • narrow low-lying valley feature with open aspects Wheathampstead • acid gravel soils with chalk and clay exposures • important for historic and contemporary LANDSCAPE CHARACTER recreational uses A small but distinctive area located in a dry valley and • acidic grassland and heathland communities surrounded by farmland. Due to locally poor soils the area • regenerating scrub oak and hawthorn woodland over has historically been cleared and used as a common. areas of former clay and chalk extraction Today this is a popular location for informal recreation, • clusters of small hamlets on fringes of the common notably dog walkers. There are similarities with Harpenden Common but the area exhibits a more remote feel, largely DISTINCTIVE FEATURES detached from urbanising influences. • ditch and banks to common edges • poorly visually integrated car park off Ferrers Lane • Wheathampstead Cricket Club

Towards Symondshyde • Ridge (HCC Landscape Unit)

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 49 NOMANSLAND COMMON summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 103

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The underlying bedrock geology is In the middle ages there were frequent disputes over the chalk. Although locally evident at the surface, the chalk is common between the abbeys of St Albans and generally overlaid by either sand and terrace gravels on the Westminster, as part of the common lay in Wheathamstead valley bottom or undifferentiated solid rock overlaid by parish (owned by Westminster) and part in Sandridge parish clay-with-flints on the slopes to the north and south. The (owned by St Albans). In 1429 the problem was resolved valley soils are light acidic soils, which influence the when it was agreed that both parishes should have grazing distinctive land cover, and typical argillic brown earths, rights. At some time a large boulder of puddingstone was which are well drained fine silts, locally very flinty, some placed on the common to mark the boundaries of the shallow over flint gravel (Charity 2 association). On the parishes. It was due to these disputes over ownership that slopes to north and south are small areas of stagnogleyic the name 'No Mans Land' was given. In 1461, during the paleo-argillic brown earths, fine silty and loamy soils with Wars of the Roses, the Yorkist army had a camp here and it slowly permeable subsoils and slight seasonal waterlogging. became the site of some of the fighting during the Second Some well drained clayey soils over chalk, variably flinty Battle of St. Albans, which may be the explanation for the (Batcombe association). cannon balls and 25 skeletons supposedly found on the Topography. A number of dry valleys all converge in this common in the 19th century. Although the common fell small area and continue towards the south east. As a valley into private ownership in the 17th century, the local bottom it is relatively flat with gentle undulations. The population retained the grazing rights. The common has northern slope is wooded and settled. The overgrown pits long been used for sports and leisure activities. In the 18th that exist on the common today are clay pits dating from century hunting was popular while in the early 19th century the 18th century. Brick kilns are recorded on the common in cricket was introduced. The common also became a venue 1759 and brick making was an important local industry. for brutal prize fighting, sometimes with fatal Degree of slope. The slopes of Nomansland common have consequences, and hosted horse racing between 1829 and an average gradient of 1 in 23. 1837 which was supported by nobility: in 1829 George IV Altitude range. 105m on the south slope of Nomansland won the St. Albans Cup on the course. Since the heydays of common; 95m in the valley bottom to the south east formal sports on the common the area has provided a Hydrology. This confluence of dry valleys has no standing location for more passive recreational activities. During water or wells. WW II Field Marshal Montgomery reviewed his troops here Land cover and land use. In ancient times the area would prior to making an assault on the Second Front. In 1965 the have been wooded, however at some point it was cleared common was registered under the Commons Registration for grazing, which continued until the 1930s. Due to the Act. light quality of the acidic soils the area largely escaped Field pattern. The area is unified by its historical origin as an cultivation, apart from during WWII when part of South unenclosed open margined common. Some leisure uses Common was ploughed for crops. Today the common have locally disrupted this pattern e.g. Cricket Club. comprises a mix of rough grassland and scrub woodland. Transport pattern. A number of roads converge on the Although there are still grazing rights on the common the common. These include the B651 and a number of other land use today is mainly for informal recreation, including minor lanes which historically would have provided access dog walking and model aircraft enthusiasts. for the common grazing. Verges are typically narrow and Wheathampstead Cricket Clubhouse and pitch is located to marked by ditches to prevent unauthorized access. the north, adjacent to the B651. Settlements and built form. On the northern edge of the Vegetation and wildlife. In the absence of grazing a common there are a few small hamlets or clusters of considerable proportion of the acidic grassland to the north dwellings. These include the settlement of Nomansland and has reverted to hawthorn scrub and secondary oak/birch West End Farm. Part of the village seems to be carved out woodland. Hornbeam,ash, aspen, cherry and sycamore are of the former common. The properties are largely hidden minor species in the woodland mix. The grassland by the scrub woodland that dominates the northern part of communities are a key component of the landscape and the common. are dominated by Creeping Bent/ Red Fescue. Locally rare Other sources of area-specific information. flora species include Petty Whin, Heather, Dwarf Gorse and Management Plan - Countryside Management Service Thatch Moss. On the road verges there tends to be a more ((Document is reviewed on a 5 year cycle, next period rank vegetation.The northern grasslands tend to be more 2001-2006) acidic while those to the south are neutral. There are no hedges within the core of the are,a however on the perimeter there is an hawthorn/hornbeam/elm mix. The common supports a range of uncommon invertebrates, including Mottled Grasshoppers, solitary bees/ wasps, beetles and spiders. Lizards have also been recorded.

pg 50 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment NOMANSLAND COMMON summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 103

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY This small character area is visually unified. The scale is There is an informal and permissive network of paths across small to medium in the open areas of the common but the common, including rights for pedestrians, cyclists and much more confined within the regenerating scrub equestrians. woodland. The common is generally concealed from views Total length of Public Rights of Way - 444m outside the area and therefore provides an unexpected and Total length of Other Public Access - n/a pleasant contrast when passing through from the adjacent Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - n/a landscapes. Away from the B651 this is a peaceful, low key Total length of all public access - 444m area. Area of LCA in square metres - 606,158 Rarity and distinctiveness. The common is a relatively Length to area ratio - 1:1365 unusual landscape type within the county.The northern half of the common is one of the best remaining dry acidic COMMUNITY VIEWS heaths in Hertfordshire. This site is regarded as singularly distinctive and is one of the most remarked upon locations in the county. VISUAL IMPACT "This disputed territory between St. Albans and There are few detractors within the area. Exceptions include Wheathamsted was…both a battlefield and a venue for the cricket club clubhouse, and the central car park with its bare-knuckle fighters. There is, however, little in the unattractive height restriction barrier. The car park is landscape to remind us of these violent happenings in occasionally adumping site for disused and stolen cars. Fly bygone days; indeed when passing through it recently I tipping can also be a problem. Adjacent properties are well thought how peaceful it looked." Letter from Rudolph integrated into the small-scale landscape. Robert in Hertfordshire Countryside V.22 No 102, October 1967.

LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS County Wildlife Site Greenbelt Landscape Conservation Area

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: insignificantinsignificant Impact of landform: apparent Age structure of tree cover: young Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: widespread Impact of historic pattern: continuouscontinuous Management of semi-natural habitat: good Visibility from outside: concealedconcealed Survival of cultural pattern: intactintact Sense of enclosure: partial Impact of built development: lowlow Visual unity: unified Impact of land-use change: lowlow Distinctiveness/rarity: unusual

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and andand and reinforce strengthenstrengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore

Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain restore character

WEAK MODERATE STRONGSTRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 51 NOMANSLAND COMMON summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 103

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING provenance wherever possible. The use of exotic species CHANGE: SAFEGUARD AND MANAGE should be prevented • support the current management plan for the common • promote traffic calming measures on minor roads where to conserve the mix of habitat types and to achieve a considerestyle that relate to the local the landscape balance between nature conservation, recreation and character of the area. public access • ensure all existing and proposed recreational land uses • conserve, enhance and extend heathland habitats to include appropriate measures to manage and enhance achieve BAP targets the existing landscape setting and its historical and • control over-grazing, heavy public pressure, damage from ecological value. Discourage inappropriate receational vehicles and motorcycles in areas of semi-improved acid uses grassland • maintain and improve the pattern of hedgerows and • promote the development of a strategy for recreation- banks on the perimeter of the area associated parking on the common so as to restrict • look for opportunities to extend acidic grassland and parking on adjacent narrow roads and minimize the heathland communities to similar soil types in adjacent visual impact of parked vehicles on the setting of the areas, e.g. to the south east, currently under arable common while allowing for public safety and accessibility cropping • maintain ditches adjacent to roads to prevent • promote the creation of links from and to the area by unauthorized vehicular access and develop the ecological additional rights of way into the adjacent areas value of the verges • restrict built development on or adjacent to the common • monitor and control dog fouling and littering • encourage traditional management measures wherever • restrict further encroachment on the common by feasible secondary and scrub woodland unless part of rotational • conserve and enhance and unimproved and semi- scrub improved acidic and neutral grassland habitats • improve public access and safety within existing woodlands • develop a site interpretation strategy to illustrate the nature conservation value and local history of the common • promote the appropriate management of secondary woodland in order to re-establish a rich ground flora and the distinction between different management systems, such as high forest, coppice, coppice-with-standards and wood pasture • prevent the spread of and seek to remove invasive non • Heath and scrub woodland native species (J.Billingsley) • use locally indigenous species and native stock of local

pg 52 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment THRALES END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area104 104

County Map showing location of LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA area 104 Stevenage ©Crown copyright .All rights reserved. Bishops Hertfordshire County Council Stortford LA076678 2001 Harpenden Hertford

Hatfield Hemel St Albans Hempstead

Watford

LOCATION KEY CHARACTERISTICS The area is located between Luton Hoo estate to the north • relatively narrow plateau area with views to the Lea west and Harpenden to the south east. The Lea valley lies valley to the north east and Harpenden to the south west to the north and the A1081 to the south. • large open regular arable fields with infrequent clipped (The northern part of the area lies within Bedfordshire). hedgerows • sparsely settled outside urban area LANDSCAPE CHARACTER • woodland areas to the northern fringes of Harpenden An area of open arable plateau and associated slopes on mixed with hospital and institutional/training the northern fringes of Harpenden. Strong farmed estate establishments feel with only a few isolated properties. Minimal tree and hedge cover except the discrete woods of Graves Wood in DISTINCTIVE FEATURES the north and Ambrose and Westfield Woods on the built • Thrales End, cluster of farm buildings set in local valley edge of Harpenden in the south. Extensive views to the with associated copses and paddocks north towards Luton and towards Harpenden on rising • The Kings School, early 20th.c timber frame - ochre land to the south, where the impact of the residential areas cupola and ornamental grounds is softened by extensive tree cover within mature gardens. • views to Vauxhall car plant at Luton • length of sunken lane on Cooters End Lane

Arable plateau • towards Cooters Hill Farm (J.Billingsley)

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 53 THRALES END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 104

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES Geology and soils. The chalk bedrock geologyof this area The original Thrales family are known to have lived in West is predominantly overlaid by plateau clay-with-flints drift Hyde as far back as 1309. Thrales End Farm was sold to the with undifferentiated solid rock on the south-west facing Luton Hoo Estate in 1858. slope and sand and gravel in the valley bottom. Soils are Field pattern. The area is notable today for its large prairie stagnogleyic paleo-argillic brown earths, which are fine silty fields. The historic pattern of pre 18th-century irregular and loamy over clayey soils with slowly permeable subsoils enclosure has all but disappeared. There are some localised and slight seasonal waterlogging. Some well drained clayey areas of 20th-century enclosure. soils over chalk, variably flinty (Batcombe association). Transport pattern. The A1081 between Luton and Topography. An area of mainly flat plateau extending for Harpenden follows the dry valley to the south of the area. 2.25 km in a north west/south east direction, with the Elsewhere the plateau is crossed by minor road, travelling upper slopes of the Lea Valley at the north-east edge and north north west to the Lea Valley. The road north from the slopes of a dry valley to the south west. Thrales End is straight while the other roads are winding in Degree of slope. The slopes off the generally level plateau character. Verges are narrow and sunken where they rise up average 1 in 13, being steeper to the west than to the the outer slopes at Cooters End Farm. south. Settlements and built form. There is a strong planned Altitude range. 145m in the north east; 110m in the south estate feel, with isolated farms across the area e.g. Cooters Hydrology. This plateau area is completely dry except for a Hill Farm. Thrales End consists of several farms. The original pond north of Thrales End Farm. timber frame and brick farmhouse is now Thrales End Land cover and land use. Arable farming is the dominant Cottage. The current Thrales End Farm was built in the mid land use. There are some small horse paddocks in 19th century on the site of Ivory's Farm. association with Thrales End. To the south 'The Kings The Kings School is set behind tall hedges in ornamental School' is set in landscaped grounds enclosed by high grounds to the south of the area. The building is an early hedges off Ambrose Lane. To the south east woodland 20th-century timber frame building with a distinctive ochre softens the built edge of Harpenden. cupola . Vegetation and wildlife. The woodlands are discrete and few in number. Graves Wood in the north is located on the edge of Luton Hoo estate and the ancient Westfield Wood and Ambrose Wood lie on the northern boundary with Harpenden. Species comprise an oak/hornbeam mix with bluebell and bramble understorey. There are groupings of trees around farmsteads but very few hedges in the area. Where present, they consist of a hawthorn/hazel/elm mix. There are no semi- natural grasslands in the area.

pg 54 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment THRALES END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 104

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY The edges of the area are visible from the adjacent valleys The area is noteworthy for the absence of any rights of and the built edge of Harpenden while the plateau itself is way, except for the roads. more concealed from view. On the plateau there is an open Total length of Public Rights of Way - n/a and exposed feel with few features to frame views except Total length of Other Public Access - 349m to the southern edge where the woods and hedgerows Total length of Designated Cycle Routes - 1,677m provide some containment. The area is fairly quiet away Total length of all public access - 2,026m from the busy A1081.Despite the scale of the arable areas Area of LCA in square metres - 2,572,545 this is a relatively coherent area. Length to area ratio - 1:1270 Rarity and distinctiveness. This is a frequent landscape within the county COMMUNITY VIEWS This area is of some regard [D] VISUAL IMPACT The sub urban edge of Harpenden to the south is LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS prominent from the area and from the A1081. However the Greenbelt built development is significantly softened by the presence Landscape Conservation Area (eastern end) of many mature trees within gardens . To the south, (Highfield Oval -outside the area is part of Harpenden Harpenden BUPA Hospital and the Highfield Oval are set Conservation Area) between and behind mature woodland to restrict their impact on the countryside. There are views to the north towards Luton and the Vauxhall car plant.

CONDITION ROBUSTNESS Land cover change: widespread Impact of landform: prominent Age structure of tree cover: over mature Impact of land cover: prominent Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: relic Impact of historic pattern: relic Management of semi-natural habitat: not obvious Visibility from outside: locally visible Survival of cultural pattern: declining Sense of enclosure: open Impact of built development: moderate Visual unity: coherent Impact of land-use change: moderate Distinctiveness/rarity: frequent

Strengthen Conserve Safeguard and and and reinforce strengthen manage

Improve Improve Conserve and and and reinforce conserve restore MODERATE

CONDITION Restore Improve condition Reconstruct and to maintain POORrestore GOOD character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment pg 55 THRALES END PLATEAU summary assessment evaluation guidelines area 104

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING • ensure that ancient lanes and their associated hedgerows CHANGE: RESTORE CONDITION TO MAINTAIN are retained, protected, enhanced and integrated into CHARACTER any new development with due regard to their historic, • promote the creation new woodlands to the south west ecological and landscape value of the area to soften the impact of Harpenden, utilizing • ensure that the surroundings of converted and new ancient hedge and field boundaries to determine the buildings are designed and maintained to be in keeping most appropriate location for woodland restoration and with their agricultural surroundings. Ensure that ‘garden’ expansion details are screened from view where possible and native • promote the appropriate management of coppice species are used for hedging and tree planting on the woodland in order to re-establish a rich ground flora and perimeter the distinction between different management systems, • native tree species only should be planted on boundaries, such as high forest, coppice, coppice -with-standards and with exotic/ornamental species only in close proximity to wood pasture. Woodland management should also the dwelling ensure that adjacent urban development is screened from • traffic calming measures, where considered necessary, the countryside must be of a scale and design that relates to the local • encourage the reversal of habitat fragmentation and the landscape character of the settlement creation and improvement of habitat links to create eco- • maintain and enhance the traditional pattern of roadside corridors verges as a local feature and a wildlife resource Where • promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive development is likely to affect verges and damage is arable production and important semi-natural habitats unavoidable, development should include details of and the creation of links between semi-natural habitats protection of the remaining verge and replacement of its • promote the use of reservoirs for water storage and nature conservation value within the proposed scheme. nature conservation interest, rather than groundwater This is particularly important where verges include abstraction. Ensure that reservoirs are designed to hedgebanks, sunken lanes, ditches and hedges. maintain the distinctiveness of local landscape character. • promote hedgerow restoration and creation throughout the area to provide visual and ecological links between existing and proposed woodland areas. Pattern to follow historic field boundaries where possible • promote both the creation of new ponds and the retention/enhancement for wildlife of existing ponds • create a network of rights of way with links from Harpenden and the Lea Valley Walk • Thrales End Farm • promote the use of traditional field enclosure where land (J.Billingsley) is converted to equestrian pasture e.g. Thrales End Farm

pg 56 North Hertfordshire Landscape Character Assessment

location assessment evaluation guidelines PETERS GREEN PLATEAU Area 200

LOCATION

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA Many large exposed arable fields with smaller pockets of grazing around Character Area extends from boundary of Luton settlements. Occasional scattered dwellings. Airport in the north to Kimpton valley in the south. Field pattern degraded with relatively few remaining hedgerows. Remnant mature LANDSCAPE CHARACTER hedgerow trees. Mixture of woodland types, some mature, well-established, deciduous Gently rolling elevated landscape plateau defined by woodland interspersed with more recent steep sided incised valleys to east, west and south. mixed woodland plantations. Character Area truncated by the man-made landscape features associated with Luton Airport.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

● Elevated plateau ● Predominantly large scale arable use ● Smaller pastoral fields closer to settlements ● Large to medium sized mixed woodland plantations ● Historic houses and associated parkland

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

● Lawrence End parkland ● Man-made landscape at Luton Airport boundary ● Water-tower at Peters Green

North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Landscape Character Assessment Babtie Group Page 33

location assessment evaluation guidelines PETERS GREEN PLATEAU Area 200

ASSESSMENT

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES

Geology & soils In the west are the remains of a chapel and Soils are free-draining loamy acidic brown soils over Someries Castle. glacial drift till. Field pattern Topography The historic agricultural landscape pattern The plateau covers a broadly rectangular area consists of a mixture of prairie fields with post- extending some 4km from north to south and 3km 1950s boundary loss, pre-18th century irregular from east to west. The plateau appears flat to gently enclosure, 18th century and later enclosure and sloping to the southeast. ancient woodland. Today there are predominantly large irregular fields with smaller Degree of slope parcels of grazing land around settlements. Minimal, typically 1:200 across the plateau. Transport pattern Altitude range Winding sunken lanes complement the more 125m to 160m. direct connecting roads. To the north the pattern of roads and lanes are truncated by the Hydrology development at Luton Airport. There are no significant water courses. There are, however, a number of small ponds associated with Settlements and built form farms in the north. The historic settlement pattern is characterised by farms and villages. Land cover and land use The predominant land use is arable farming.

Vegetation and wildlife Scattered woodland in discrete parcels including both ancient deciduous woodlands and more recent mixed plantations. Species include hornbeam coppice, oak and ash. Regenerating elm in hedgerows also some holly is common. Lime is the dominant parkland tree at Lawrence End Park which is largely improved grassland.

This Character Area contains a few ancient semi- natural woodlands, which are typically dominated by oak and coppiced hornbeam. Bluebells are frequently a feature of the groundflora, but other ancient woodland indicators are also present. Withstocks Wood, Bishey Wood and Burnt Wood are examples of ancient semi-natural oak and hornbeam woodland. These woods have been replanted with conifers to varying extents, but their seedbanks of ancient flora are retained, as denoted by the presence of ancient woodland indicator species. Occasional ancient, species-rich hedgerows are another feature of this Character Area.

The Character Area has generally a sparsity of ecologically interesting sites.

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location assessment evaluation guidelines PETERS GREEN PLATEAU Area 200

EVALUATION

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY

The Character Area is only locally visible from the The local network of roads and public rights of surrounding areas due to its elevated land form. way radiates out from the hub, which covers the The Character Area is generally peaceful, however, Character Area between Peters Green to in the north aircraft noise is a particularly notable Chiltern Green. The Character Area is well element. The landscape has been de-valued by served by footpaths and bridleways. extensive arable production and has open and exposed aspects. The parkland to the north is a COMMUNITY VIEWS more discrete landscape with unified features and contained views. Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) have undertaken Tier B (Community of Place) Rarity & distinctiveness consultations. Views of the local community This landscape type is frequent in the county. have been sought and contributor’s responses to each of the Character Areas will be analysed VISUAL IMPACT and a summary of the responses provided by HCC. There are few built detractors. LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS

LC1 Landscape Conservation Area

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location assessment evaluation guidelines PETERS GREEN PLATEAU Area 200

EVALUATION

CONDITION Land cover change: Widespread Age structure of tree cover: Mixed Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: Relic Management of semi-natural habitat: Good Survival of cultural pattern: Declining/Relic Impact of built development: Low Impact of land-use change: Moderate Matrix Score: Good

ROBUSTNESS Impact of landform: Apparent Impact of land cover: Prominent Impact of historic pattern: Insignificant Visibility from outside: Locally visible Sense of enclosure: Partial Visual unity: Coherent Distinctiveness/rarity: Frequent Matrix Score: Moderate

Strengthen and Conserve and Safeguard and

GOOD reinforce strengthen manage

Improve and Improve and Conserve and reinforce conserve restore CONDITION MODERATE

Reconstruct Improve and restore Restore condition to

POOR maintain character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

ROBUSTNESS

North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Landscape Character Assessment Babtie Group Page 36

location assessment evaluation guidelines PETERS GREEN PLATEAU Area 200

GUIDELINES

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE:

Conserve and Strengthen

● Promote management of ancient woodland to encourage a diverse woodland flora ● Promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive arable production and areas of semi- natural habitat and the creation of links between habitat areas ● Encourage policies for the safeguarding of existing hedges and the creation of new boundaries at appropriate locations, consistent with agricultural management practices ● Protect and preserve the pattern of narrow winding lanes and associated hedge banks, sunken lanes, verges and hedges ● Promote the diversity of hedgerow species and the planting of standard hedgerow trees ● Maintain and extend the rights of way network ● Encourage the management of hornbeam, oak and ash coppice ● Encourage the preparation and implementation of restoration and management plans for parkland landscapes including Lawrence End

North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Landscape Character Assessment Babtie Group Page 37

KIMPTON AND WHITEWAY location assessment evaluation guidelines BOTTOM Area 201

LOCATION

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA LANDSCAPE CHARACTER

The Whiteway valley extends from the eastern Steeply sided dry valleys with Whiteway Bottom edge of Luton to a point west of Kimpton where the Lane following the bottom of the valley and the valley joins the Whitwell valley. Kimpton village lies B652 Kimpton Bottom Road to the south. To at the confluence of the two valleys. The head of the north of Whiteways small winding lanes the Kimpton valley is located west of Plummers cross perpendicular to the line of the valley. Lane, joining Kimpton Bottom Lane at Dane Farm. Predominantly arable use. Whiteways Bottom is largely devoid of settlement whilst Kimpton Bottom has a linear settlement. Locally smaller field parcels on the more steeply sloping land. Scattered woodland parcels along the top edge of valley sides.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

● Steep sided valley slope ● Dominant arable use ● Scattered woodland parcels

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

● Abuts Luton Airport runway

North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Landscape Character Assessment Babtie Group Page 38

KIMPTON AND WHITEWAY location assessment evaluation guidelines BOTTOM Area 201

ASSESSMENT

PHYSICAL INFLUENCES HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES

Geology & soils In 1086 Kimpton was assessed for 4 hides and Free draining loamy brown soils over Upper and formed part of the possessions of Odo, Bishop Middle Chalk. Chalk is masked by overlying Clay- of Bayeux. The village of Kimpton still retains its with-Flints and peri and post glacial coombe 12th century church of St Peter and St Paul. To deposits. the west of Kimpton lie ring ditches, linear ditches and enclosures of unknown origin Topgraphy Narrow valley in upper reaches gradually Field pattern widening at confluence with other tributaries. The The historic agricultural landscape comprises a valley is approximately 1km wide east of Kimpton. mixture of prairie fields with post-1950s boundary loss, pre-18th century irregular Degree of slope enclosure, pre-18th century irregular sinuous Typically 1:10 slopes to valley sides. enclosure, 18th century and later enclosure and ancient woodland. Today a high proportion of Altitude range hedges have been removed, there is Valley falls from 135m at suburban edge of Luton predominantly large-scale field pattern but with to 80m at Kimpton Mill. 125m at the head of the smaller fields on some steeply sloping ground. Kimpton valley. Smaller field parcels associated with fringes of settlements and along Kimpton Bottom, west of Hydrology Kimpton. Whiteway valley is a dry valley, but in time of high water table the historic river Kym can reappear at Transport pattern Kimpton Bottom. A combination of primary routes following valley bottoms interconnected by small winding lanes Land cover and land use often sunken and rising up the valley side. The predominant land use is arable farming. Settlements and built form Vegetation and wildlife The historic settlement pattern is characterised Limited woodland cover in the upper reaches of by outlying cottages, villages and farmsteads. the valleys. Large woodland block to the north of The Character Area includes the larger Kimpton (Park Wood). Ancient semi-natural settlement of Kimpton and incorporates some woodland is present on valley sides such as associated ribbon development. The scattered Hurst/Sewetts Wood, groves near Rowdalls farmsteads are further up the valleys. Kimpton Plantation and Hoo Park. Most of this woodland contains several 17th century houses and tends to be transitional between oak/hornbeam cottages. and ash/beech, depending on the presence or absence of chalk near the surface. Cherry is also common.

Fragments of calcareous grasslands remain along Kimpton Bottom and on road verges at Whiteway Bottom and north of Kimpton.

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KIMPTON AND WHITEWAY location assessment evaluation guidelines BOTTOM Area 201

EVALUATION

VISUAL AND SENSORY PERCEPTION ACCESSIBILITY

The Character Area is a combination of Whereas the road network follows the valley undeveloped open landscapes, mainly in the bottoms, with feeder roads connecting to adjacent upper valley reaches, with a sense of areas, the network of rights of way often cuts remoteness, contrasting with the well settled, across the valleys. sub-urban character in the lower part of the valley. COMMUNITY VIEWS

Rarity & distinctiveness Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) have Landscape type frequent in the west of the undertaken Tier B (Community of Place) District. consultations. Views of the local community have been sought and contributor’s responses to each VISUAL IMPACT of the Character Areas will be analysed and a summary of the responses provided by HCC. More recent ribbon development associated with Kimpton and Whitwell intrudes into the LANDSCAPE RELATED DESIGNATIONS valley setting especially associated pony paddocks and stabling. Some narrower steeper LC1 Landscape Conservation Area sided valleys provide sense of visual GD 1909 Hoo containment. From certain vantage points, especially where there is little woodland cover, there are long distance views down the valley.

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KIMPTON AND WHITEWAY location assessment evaluation guidelines BOTTOM Area 201

EVALUATION

CONDITION Land cover change: Widespread Age structure of tree cover: Mixed Extent of semi-natural habitat survival: Relic Management of semi-natural habitat: Not obvious Survival of cultural pattern: Relic Impact of built development: Low Impact of land-use change: Moderate Matrix Score: Poor

ROBUSTNESS Impact of landform: Prominent Impact of land cover: Apparent Impact of historic pattern: Insignificant Visibility from outside: Locally visible Sense of enclosure: Contained Visual unity: Coherent Distinctiveness/rarity: Frequent Matrix Score: Moderate

Strengthen and Conserve and Safeguard and

GOOD reinforce strengthen manage

Improve and Improve and Conserve and reinforce conserve restore CONDITION MODERATE

Reconstruct Improve and restore Restore condition to

POOR maintain character

WEAK MODERATE STRONG

ROBUSTNESS

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KIMPTON AND WHITEWAY location assessment evaluation guidelines BOTTOM Area 201

GUIDELINES

STRATEGY AND GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING CHANGE:

Improve and Restore

● Promote management of ancient woodland to encourage a diverse woodland flora ● Promote the creation of buffer zones between intensive arable production and areas of semi- natural habitat and the creation of links between habitat areas ● Promote hedgerow restoration along the lines of historic field boundaries and for the creation of visual links between existing woodland areas ● Promote the use of traditional field hedges in place of post and wire enclosures to new grazing areas ● Protect and preserve the pattern of narrow winding lanes and associated hedge banks, sunken lanes, verges and hedges ● Promote the diversity of hedgerow species and the planting of standard hedgerow trees ● Maintain and extend the rights of way network ● Protect the tranquil nature of Whiteways Bottom by ensuring that no adverse development is permitted

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